Murder in Forkshire
by maymay74
Summary: England, 1926. Edward just came back after his father's death. Isabella Higginbotham just finished her education. Both came back to the little town of Forkshire to begin what they consider will be a boring life, or so they believe... AH
1. Chapter 1

**Chapter 1**

Welcome to Forkshire.

That's what the sign indicated, beside that 593 happy inhabitants content to see you. To Edward Masen it was more like 593 persons ready to dig their noses in his life.

At 27 he was just coming back from Rhodesia to take care of his father's business. The Masen state, better known as Twilight, was one of the biggest properties there . Before he could go to his childhood home, he had to go to make a visit to his Uncle Carlisle Cullen. He was the one who gave him the notice of his father's death, and of course, reminded him that his duty was to come to take care of his father's side of the firm. Cullen & Masen was one of the biggest import-export companies in England and Edward Sr. with Carlisle were the owners.

So there he was coming to see what his 'Uncle', not really blood related at all, wanted to do.

As he was entering the land, he caught a car hidden in the woods; the car was moving rhythmically and it took him two seconds to realize what was happening inside it.

Oh my! His uncle would be furious if he find out that young kids came to his property to have fun. Then he heard a moan, loud enough to make him stop; maybe he was mistaken, it could be a different situation. He was about to come close to the car when a female voice screamed:

"Yes, yes"

No there's no danger here.

As he started to walk, he took a look at the car and he saw a face and a bit of cleavage of a strawberry blond female.

"Well" he thought, "it seems that people is the same everywhere" and he kept walking 'til he got to the house. Carlisle Cullen's house, the Laurels, was a beautiful manor just like his own one, but it gave him the feeling of coldness he couldn't explain.

He just knocked on the door, when a beautiful woman, maybe in her forties, opened it.

"Good morning! You must be Edward Jr. Come; Mr. Cullen is waiting for you. Let me take your coat and let this suitcase here."

"Are you by any chance Mrs…"

"Oh no. I'm Miss Platt, the housekeeper. " To Edward she talked too forward for a housekeeper, and the name sounded like he met her before, but he couldn't remember where he heard it.

"Come, you arrived just in time for tea."

She led Edward to a room where various women seated; one of them came for him.

"Oh Edward, I'm so glad you're here." said a cute little black haired woman " Please, tell me you remember me. I'm Alice, Carlisle's daughter."

Ah, now he remembered knobby knees, braces, and an awful screeching voice demanding attention. He really hoped she had change.

"Of course Miss Alice, I remember you."

"Let me introduce you to everyone, you've just met Miss Platt, whatever you need, she's the one you have to ask, here is Mrs. Carmen Denali, one of our neighbors," she said as she pointed to a middle age fat blond woman who nodded, "then here's my best friend and Carmen's daughter, Miss Kate Denali" a blond woman about his age came to take his hand.

"So pleased to meet you, Alice is really excited to have you here."

Alice's face became serious when she said "Coming over there," she pointed to a door in the back opening, " is my stepmother Tanya Cullen." The woman from the car outside came in, confusing Edward. This was Carlisle's wife? She was cheating to poor Carlisle in his own house! He had to keep his face straight, but inside he was burning with indignation.

"Pleased to meet you, Mrs. Cullen." He spat, trying to control his temper.

Then, his uncle decided to make an appearance, finally.

"Edward, I'm so glad you're here. I see you've met my family. We were waiting for you to start. Let me call Esme, so she can bring us the tea." In that moment, Esme, or Miss Platt, whatever everyone called her, came in with a cart with tea, biscuits, toast, jam, butter. Edward's stomach growled in anticipation, so he took a plate and made honors to the meal.

"So Edward, did you left any Mrs. Masen waiting for you in Rhodesia?"

Damn this Alice! Edward thought. What a lack of tact, asking right away if he was single; but he saw a ring in her left hand, so she wasn't asking for herself. It was only gossip.

Noticing Edward's discomfort, Carlisle reprimanded his daughter.

"Alice dear, where are your manners? Edward had just come home after his father's death, he has so much in his mind right now."

"But Father, Twilight is a beautiful manor and so big that without the proper care a feminine hand could give, it will come down in a minute."

"Oh Alice, Edward has more to worry than his house; I mean he was in Africa for years, and he had lost his parents. He needs time to grieve…"

At this point, Edward's mind disconnected from the conversation. Was he grieving the death of his father? He left six years ago, when the loss of his mother, Elizabeth became too much to bear. Back then, the three of them were a happy family; he had come back after finishing his education in Eton, ready to start to work at his father's company. Elizabeth was hinting at the possibility of marriage to a proper girl, just like Alice or Kate. Then Elizabeth became sick, with lung pneumonia. She never had the chance to recover and within a month she died.

At first, both Edwards, father and son, were grieving together. Then alcohol came. Edward Sr. drank a lot, and in his drunkenness he blamed his son for Elizabeth's demise. Later he became violent. Edward took it all, because he respected his father; but it came the time when enough was enough and Edward left to Rhodesia. He kept in contact with his father through letters, but the relationship never mend.

Then he got notice of his father's lack of health so he made arrangements to come back to England, sadly it wasn't soon enough and he arrived a week after his father's death.

Of course Carlisle took care of the firm and that little pest called funeral. It took place the past Saturday and Edward never got the chance to say goodbye to his father. Now, without any hope to come back to the vast lands of Rhodesia, he now had to take care of his part of the firm. But no hopelessenough to let this group of women try to control his life.

"We have to make a 'welcome back' party; we have to let the people know Edward is back. We could invite the people that matter, let's see, Doctor Whitlock, Mr. McCarthy…"

When Edward came back from the past, he heard Alice and Carmen planning a party without acquiring his opinion .

"Don't forget Mrs. Mallory, and the Stanleys oh and Miss Emily. Just the finest people of Forkshire."

"Don't forget to invite Lady Higginbotham." Tanya said with a mischievous grin.

The outraged faces of the other ladies had Edward thinking what was wrong with Lady Higginbotham to make them pass the chance to invite the only nobility in Forkshire.

"What's wrong with Lady Higginbotham?" The curiosity was bigger than his will to remain silent.

"Ha, you've never heard of her. At the time you left here, they still lived in Surrey. Everyone cherised Lord Phil Higginbotham, so tall and handsome. Sadly, he never had a good brain for businesses. So he was losing money, and then he had to send his daughters to Paris and Florence to study because nothing was good enough for them. Of course by the time he died and they read the will, they found he was so in debt that they had to sell all their properties and just kept their home here. So now they may be all blue blooded but they're poorer than a rat." Carmen spat with venom.

"To the whole town horror, Rosalie Higginbotham had one coming-out party here, gaining the attention of every male here, single or married; but her father arranged her marriage to Mr. Royce King. So all the men hopes crushed, and all the ladies were mad to be left as second best." Added Tanya again, with that mischievous glint in her eyes. It seems like she wasn't very fond of the other ladies.

"Please, like I would envy anything that Rosalie has. She has the body of a wanton…" Kate silenced the last word, like it would tarnish her mouth. " Ugh! her face, and her eyes are almost violet so nasty colored."

The knowing smile that Carlisle wore made Edward realize that Miss Kate had her eyes set in certain Mr. Royce King and probably he rejected her. Now Edward wanted to meet the Higginbotham, they seem nicer than his current company.

Tanya was an enigma to him, obviously she wasn't happy in her marriage to cheat on her husband, but her attitude toward the Higginbotham or Miss Platt was nice, and the way she likes to taunt Alice and Kate… maybe it is because she's a beautiful woman, not his type but he couldn't deny it, and let's face it, Kate and her mother weren't pretty at all.

"But they live here , and I'm sure Edward will appreciate meeting them." Tanya said, winking at me.

"Sure, I'd like to meet them, let's invite them"

"Considered it done. Esme dear, please help me get everything ready for a reunion to present Edward to the people here." Carlisle said, calling for Esme who was picking all the plates and cups.

"Mr. Cullen I'm not so sure. I heard they're planning a party of their own to welcome back the younger daughter."

"So there's another Higginbotham girl" said Edward sounding really enthusiast "And what is her name?"

"Isabella, Isabella Higginbotham."


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

"Hurry Bella! It's getting late and I'm sure the train will arrive any minute now." Yelled Rosalie Higginbotham, also known as Rose.

Rose, at twenty, was the oldest sister, and dutiful guardian of the baby of the family little Isabella, or Bella, as her friends called her. Bella, at seventeen, had just come back home after finishing her education at Mrs. Cope's school in Paris; and now was waiting for her next birthday in September. Her debuting season would be this year, but by the lack of funds or sponsors she shall be given a 'coming out' party as Rose, and perhaps she wouldn't be gathering the attention of any suitable man to ask her hand for marriage. Then she may go to the university as she had always planned. That was the best deal she got from her mother who wanted her girls married. Both Higginbotham girls were bright as the sun and beautiful as flowers, though each one had a different style. Rose was tall, had a curvaceous body with blond hair and violet eyes, although Bella was more on the petite side, which made her curves more notorious, and she had brown eyes and hair just as her father; but both had straight nose and plump pink lips. Both wanted to further with their education, but money was tight, so when Rose time came, her mother denied the chance to go to any university so she acquiesced to marry Royce King.

Now that it was Bella's time, she came home with the wonderful news that she had won the chance of a scholarship. Her mother, worried for her future, asked Bella to wait. Lady Higginbotham was sure her daughter shall garner a suitable man attention thus securing her future. Her mother raised her to believe that education was a waste in a woman, much to the chagrin of her daughters. Now, if they were married and the husband allowed them to continue their education as a hobby... well, then it's nothing wrong about it; but her daughters were really stubborn and she was sure they will get away with it.

Rose and Bella ran to the train station to wait for their uncle Aro and aunt Didyme. Their train was late and had to come five minutes ago, but it hadn't, which means they were lucky to be on time .

Rose being taller took advantage and was closer to the platform, while Bella was hurrying not noticing that one tall man was coming her way and the result was inevitable. Both crashed.

And just when she thought she will fall, a pair of strong arms got her.

Now it was like time stopped. The most beautiful green eyes ever were looking at her, with the same expression of wonder and tenderness. He had the most gorgeous face she had ever seen in a man. Beautiful but so masculine. And the arms holding her, so strong...

Time stopped not just for her. Edward's instincts made him hold the petite figure that crashed with him but when he looked at her soulful eyes he was lost. It took him one second to look at her and then he knew with absolute certainty that he was holding his future.

Absorbed as they were into each other, they didn't realize that other people were waiting for them.

Carlisle Cullen didn't find the exchange funny at all,so he decided to cut it.

"Well Miss Higginbotham so nice to see you, what brings you to the station this morning?"

Rose, knowing her sister will need a minute to right herself, took Carlisle arm to led him to the platform.

"Mr. Cullen, so nice to see you too. We're here to pick up our uncle and our aunt. They're coming to help with Bella's party and my wedding."

While Rose took Carlisle away, Edward took the chance to meet the lovely girl who captivated his heart.

"Hello, my name is Edward Masen and I'm so glad I caught you."

"Hi, my name is Isabella Higginbotham and thanks for keeping me off the floor" said Bella noticing how both were smiling. "And that's my sister Rosalie."

So these are the Higginbotham girls, Edward thought, now I know why all the woman are so envious.

"Please Miss Higginbotham, let me guide you to your sister's side."

"It's Bella."

"Excuse me?"

"Call me Bella, all my friends and family call me Bella."

"Like you wish, Bella" He said while kissing her hand. The way he said her name made Bella insides tingle with pleasure. She couldn't understand why she felt so light and nervous simultaneously. Edward was mesmerized, such a beautiful lovely girl, could she be attracted to him the same way he was attracted to her?

Aro Volturi was tired of traveling. These damned trains were everything but comfortable; and then there was the non stop chatter from his sister Didyme.

At 65, retired from Scotland Yard, he lived a quiet life in company of his widowed sister Didyme and his assistant Alec. He was glad to visit his 'nieces' as he loved to call the Higginbotham girls. Phil was his only nephew, born from his deceased sister Lucretia, who died when he was a baby, so a myriad of nannies raised him. Obviously, he grew to charmed all the nannies to get his way, but he never developed the organized and responsible character that the title required. When Phil's father died, he only left to him the lands attached to the title and the rest went for Aro to manage, knowing Aro would see after the family. And he did, but when Phil died and all the properties were sold, the girls had no other choice but to move to Forkshire, to the only house that remained. He looked to Alec, seated beside Didyme. Poor guy's ears were probably bleeding after all that chatter.

Alec was his assistant or secretary, a very useful hand that came to work with him after being wounded at the battle of Amiens in 1918. He was the best, leading his business in the city or their problems at the country house.

Aro was so hopeful for him. Being so occupied, workwise, Alec had never the chance to mingle; and sadly, his only friends were the women of the church, all above 50.

That's why Aro had a plan for him.

The last time they were here at Forkshire, Alec had a family funeral and had to stay in Surrey. So he hadn't had the opportunity to be at Rose's coming out party. Rose was the most beautiful girl at the party. And his nephew had the crazy idea of marrying her to the ambitious, but rather boring, Royce King. Well, Phil was never known for his intelligent plans, but in a way, he knew what was coming and he preferred to secure his daughter's future. So when Aro and Didyme came to the party, they asked Rose how did she feel. She had all the men, single and married, vying for her hand, she had the chance to choose. But her mother insisted on respecting Phil's wishes, and Rose ended engaged to Royce. It wouldn't be a problem if Rose was committed to marry the man, but no, she did everything she thought to prolong the engagement. Her latest excuse, she didn't want her mother living alone, but now Bella was back and Rose had to find another excuse.

That's when Aro's plan comes to play. He really thought that Alec was a better fitted man to marry someone with Rose's temper. Alec was good-looking man, while, whether"?] Royce was short and balding. And Alec had the patience of a saint, while Royce was known for his rage attacks.

On the other hand, Didyme thought Alec was better suited for Bella, who was more stubborn and probably was going to fight her mother for her right to do as she wanted.

Now they were arriving to the station, and they had the chance to look to the people at the platform.

Alec was thinking who were those angels waving at the train? Could they be the famous nieces? Oh, his boss was keeping this news to him, were they single?

Aro was looking with disdain to Carlisle Cullen, he never liked that man, even in his days at Scotland Yard. And there was another guy with him, talking to Bella, he had to talk to his niece to find out who he was.

Didyme was delighted to see little Bella smiling to the man beside her, both had goofy smiles on their faces, but she didn't like the face the older blond man had. She descended with care, just to be received with the warming hugs of Bella and Rose.

"Come uncle, this is our neighbor Carlisle Cullen," said Rose pointing to the blond man "and this is Mr. Edward Masen."

After the introductions, the gentlemen remained at the station waiting for some boxes that still had to arrive. When they were leaving, Didyme noticed the longing in Bella and Mr. Masen eyes. So this is the man who captured my niece's heart, well, now it was time to know him and see if he was worth Bella's affection; but she also noticed the cold stare Mr. Cullen was giving them. And that means only one thing. She needed to investigate and she knew just what will give her all the information she required. She had to plan a tea with the neighbors. She was ready for tea and gossip tomorrow afternoon.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

"Ah, come Mrs. Carmen, I know your gardener does something extra to keep those geraniums so beautiful." The tea was a success; Didyme expertise in extracting information made the group of older women an easy prey.

"Oh, but we don't have a gardener per se, old Tobias comes once a week to trim the bushes, keep the grass short, and take out some weeds. I take care personally of my garden." Didyme technique was excellent, a little flattery in each woman Achilles' heel and voilà, they shared all the gossip surrounding Forkshire. "I tried to keep an eye in our garden in Surrey, but with the cold the doctor forbid it; we had a gardener but then he caught pneumonia and he died. I don't know what we'll do this winter." "What a shame! The same happened here to Edward's mother, pulmonary pneumonia I'm afraid. He had just come back from Eton." Carmen said while dabbing her eyes with a handkerchief. "I, we... were hoping for. Kate was the only girl around here about his age, and we hoped... they... but after his mother demise, he left."

It didn't escape to Didyme that Lauren and Emily rolled their eyes. So she went for the kill.

"So you mean that Edward had a special friendship with Kate?"

"Oh no, absolutely not. Like Carmen said, they were the only ones here with age appropriate to consider a marriage. Edward had just arrived to town, he had no friends then." Emily said, causing Carmen cough her tea.

"Dear Emily, in other circumstances, I'm sure love would have blossomed" Carmen's last comment made the other women smile condescendingly. "I still hope that Edward will notice the common interests he shares with my Kate." This comment earned smiles even from Aro who was supposedly sleep in a sofa. Poor sap! She didn't know when to quit.

Emily decided to change topics, before someone would state the obvious to the oblivious Carmen. "I'm glad you're here Didyme. Mr. Royce has postponed this wedding long enough. I hope Aro had a couple of words with him, otherwise he's wasting Rosalie's time."

Didyme was confused, she didn't know what to say given that Rosalie hadn't said a word to her either. "It's just that Rosalie doesn't want her mother alone. We still don't know where Royce wants to settle, here or London, and she wants to be close."

Mrs. Jemima Stanley, who had less experience in this reunions, commented with total honesty "That's why I said to Jessica, my daughter, before you agree to marry a man, you have to see where he lives and where his parents and family lives. You don't want to end living faraway with a controlling mother-in-law, who will take every single decision in the house."

The vehemence and passion in her statement made everyone remember how the elder Mrs. Stanley treated this one, twenty years ago.

"You know, my little Jessica is eighteen, like your Isabella will be, but we didn't make a coming out party for her. I mean, who would have come? Emmett McCarthy is already engaged, not that Miss Alice seems to mind the attention from another man. In this case, we don't know much about Dr. Whitlock's past. He's a good doctor though..." Her tirade left her a little breathless, which Lauren used to comment "We know Alice Cullen has no shame! sorry Carmen, we know she's Kate's friend, but how could we not notice her going around town all day with Jasper Whitlock! Poor Emmett does right concentrating in work at the firm. If only I was in his place... there wouldn't be an engagement." "My Claire found them last Friday in the woods. You wouldn't believe what they were doing!"

"Please do tell."

"Well, she said they were behind a tree, he was kissing her! And his hands weren't on sight, if you know what I mean." All the women aw-wed scandalized by Alice conduct, ignoring that Claire, Jemima's maid, was mad because that particular tree was her and her boyfriend's secret hiding spot. "As his Godmother" Lauren claimed "I talked to him, but he seems so resigned. I'd like to talk to Mr. Cullen, but he seems so ...distant and serious." Didyme took the opportunity to reach another topic she wanted to know about. "Why not talk to Mrs. Cullen?"

The other women looked surprised.

"Well, she's the step-mother, it's not the same. Alice doesn't listen to anyone, lest Tanya."

"She hates her, and I don't know if I could blame her. Tanya acts like she's above us all." "When Mr. Cullen married her, we were so happy! He was so lonely after Cynthia's death. But she's so quiet, she doesn't stay to talk after Sunday's church service, or when you find her at the post office. She just says 'Good morning' and leaves."

"I mean, we're not commoners! It isn't like she's royalty. Alice said her family comes from Russia, a disgraced noble, but I don't believe it. We thought maybe you Didyme, with your contacts " Emily said while looking to a sleeping Aro "I'm sure you know someone who could ask about her family."

"I'm sure I could ask her at the party..."

"You invited her to the party?"

"We invited almost the town!" said Renée, as she was coming into the room Didyme knew the gossip time was over, her companion won't be as communicative with her niece present.

"This party will kill me! I had to go to London to find the special kind of scotch that John Newton likes." Jemima Stanley immediately asked "Did you invite the Duke and his family?" "Of course, he was one of the best friends Phil had. They served together in the war. John wants to bring his son, Michael, to mingle. Michael is a bit attached to his mother's skirts for John's taste. If he turns thirty and doesn't find any suitable companion, John is sending him to the colonies. Maybe that will toughen him." Jemima was thinking on the possibilities, she was also trying to marry her daughter, like Renée and Carmen.

"So the Duke hopes maybe one of the girls at the party will perk him up?" Renée nodded " And his wife wants to watch Michael's interest in girls, she wants to make an appropriate match. Like we all do." Renée said while looking intently at Didyme, who immediately knew which suitor Renée wanted for Bella.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

It was a sunny day; so while the old women were talking and having tea, the people of Forkshire had lots of fun.

Rosalie took the chance to take a walk with Alec. Alec was in paradise! He was so used to the old people company, that Forkshire with their surplus of single young women was heaven for him. Sadly, the woman he fancied the most was unavailable. For him, to know that beautiful, intelligent and charming Rosalie was engaged to dumb, fat and pompous Royce was an infamy. Then you had little Isabella, who was as lovely as Rose and single. But Rosalie had a savoir faire, grace and poise...

He was delighted when Bella was late for their walk, late ha! like he didn't know that she really panned to visit Edward Masen. She was young enough to be dazzled by his adventures in Africa.

No, he preferred Rosalie. They talked about theater plays, music and books. It was so comfortable to talk to someone so educated.

They were so entranced in their discussion they almost crashed with a very tall man.

"Oh" Rosalie bright smile turned into a grimace.

"Why, Rosalie. It is so good to see you."

"Mr. McCarthy" she said with a nod.

"Aren't you going to introduce me?" The tall man insisted, while his eyes showed some desperation.

"Right, Alec this is Mr. Emmett McCarthy, he's the lawyer in our little town; Emmett this is Alec, my uncle's assistant." Both men shocked hands eying the other thoroughly.

"Now Emmett, we know you're a busy man, so we'll leave you to continue your way." And she took Alec's hand and led him through Forkshire's main street. Alec tried to ask about Mr. McCarthy but Rosalie guided him to the post office.

"Look, let me introduce you to Mrs. Cullen. I love her wicked sense of humor."

Alec looked to the woman Rose was talking about. A tall, beautiful ginger woman, probably in her thirties.

"Good afternoon Rosalie."

"Mrs. Cullen, let me introduce you to Alec, he's my uncle's assistant."

Alec took her soft hand and kissed her knuckles. Why the prettiest girls in this town were already taken?

"Perhaps you will join us in our walk? I'm showing Alec the town, now I'm taking him to the woods behind our house."

"Sure Rosalie, they also lead to my house. And please, call me Tanya."

Soon as they started to walk, Kate joined them.

"I'm so glad I've found you Mrs. Cullen; do you happen to see..."

"If you're asking about Alice, she left early in the morning and she never tells me about her plans, as I've already told you." Tanya answered annoyed by Kate "and about your other inquiry, he was working with my husband in the morning, I suppose he had plans because he said he won't be coming back for dinner." She said the last part smiling, she despised Kate, so when Edward asked her to keep his plans secret from Alice and Kate she immediately agree.

Alec, who was raised to be a gentleman always, asked Kate to join them in their walk, while she was looking for 'Alice'.

In the opposite part of town, deep in the woods, Bella and Edward were talking.

Bella had been so happy with him. Every day while he worked with Carlisle in his office, Bella helped her mother with the party arrangements and as soon as lunch was over, they ran to the woods for another date.

Bella was so enamored with him. He listened to her, asked for her opinion, and he also had the most interesting points of view. Currently, they were discussing the hunting in Africa. "But you can't deny it requires certain courage to stand near a lion and shoot."

"I don't know Bella; usually the hunter goes to hunt with a group of 10 or 12 natives. I don't think it's fair. The tribes in Rhodesia said you only had to kill in case of danger. The animals never forget, so if you kill, let say, a lioness, what would it be of her cubs? They'll grow to be aggressive toward humans and they'll attack at any chance, thus making the life of the tribes nearby dangerous. Meanwhile the hunter is already in another continent."

"So you say you're against the hunting trips?"

"I've seen my fair share of 'brave hunters' " he said it making quoting marks "who pass out at the presence of a little monkey; and then they force the natives to get them a piece, any piece."

"And the natives agree?"

"Sometimes." Her big doe eyes were looking at him with such adoration. "You have to understand, there in the wild, human life has a different value. Any animal has the same chance at survival as you. Sometimes is better let them go their way, and they'll respect yours." He said while he took a loose strand of her hair.

"Bella, you know how highly I regard our daily walks, right?"

"H'm"

"And how I cherish every one of your words or when you voice your opinion."

"H'm"

He took her chin up to make her look at him right in the eye.

"I know it's too soon but Bella I think, no, I know I love you."

"Oh Edward, I love you too."

He closed the distance between them and kissed her.

On the Cullen house someone held a very different discussion.

"Emmett you're finally here. Come into my study, we have too much to discuss."

Carlisle led Emmett discreetly through the house, he didn't want some servant hearing any of this conversation. "How does my divorce is going? I need it finished quite promptly."

"Carlisle, you know it may depend on your wife if she's hesitant..."

Carlisle laughed. "She'll be the first to sign it gladly. She hates me and already asked me for it."

"Well, if both of you agree, I don't see any problem."

"Given this new circumstances I want to change my will." "I think it's the most proper thing to do, but before you change it, consider what I told you yesterday. I'm out of this sham of engagement, and you can't force me to continue with it."

"But I can. I still had it in my power..."

"And I don't care anymore."

Emmett stood looking Carlisle straight into his eyes, knowing he was looking for a moment of weakness to trap him in again.

"Fine, I'll release you from the engagement, but first I want you to get me through the divorce quickly. I've already found someone else, but her family won't let me get close to her until the separation becomes official."

Emmett thought once more, that Carlisle was the most repulsive man he had ever met.

And then the door clicked. A tiny click sound. Someone heard their conversation.

Carlisle rushed to the door, but the hallway was empty.

"Damn it! I'm sure it was Esme, that woman can come to you quietly like a cat." Carlisle spat.

But Emmett deep down inside knew it was Alice.

Bella and Edward were too lost in their loving embrace to notice that someone was watching them.

This person look at them with a bit of envy, they seemed so in love. This person, a woman, had an awful and difficult life, should be bitter because of it. But seeing these two so invested in each other gave her hope. Maybe it wasn't too late, if only she could find the courage...

Edward heard the snap of a dry twig. Someone was close.

"Bella, darling, I think it would be better if we look for your sister. I want to stay in her good graces before I talk to your mother."

Bella smiled, if only Edward knew how Rosalie supported their relationship. Wait, she thought, he wants to talk to my mother! Maybe getting engaged wasn't so bad after all.

They walked back through the woods in time to find Rosalie and company before they got in the house.

Soon enough, they were seated joining the older ladies in their conversation.

Kate, frustrated because Edward was seated beside Bella, decided to ask him about his life in Africa with hopes to make a better impression on him.

"Edward, I think it must be so exciting to be so close to tigers."

"Tigers are from Asia." Bella interjected.

The whole room was quiet. Kate directed her murderous glare to Bella, so to avoid any inconvenience Renee intervened.

"I'm sure Edward has hundred of stories about lions, right Edward?"

"Of course, let me tell you about the time..."

After the last guest left, Didyme walked to Aro and gave him a slap with a book.

"I know you're awake, you didn't fool me."

"Anyone else noticed?"

"I think Lauren, maybe Emily and of course Mr. Edward noticed. I don't think they got offended"

"Good. Do you notice how that girl Kate envied my little girls? She may cause trouble in the future."

"It's not the women I'm worried about. Do you think Renee will agree to Mr. Edward marrying little Bella?"


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5**

The whole week passed in a blur, and now it was time for the coming out party. At the Higginbotham abode everybody was running, finishing with the last-minute details.

Alec was looking for Bella, her mother needed help to discuss what music to play with the band. Instead, he found Rosalie crying on a bench in the garden.

"Oh dear, come here. What is troubling you this much?"

"Sorry Alec. I didn't intend to bother you."

"You know it's no bother. Come on, we're friends, at least I think of you as a friend. You can tell me."

"Alec, of course you're my friend. I'm crying about nonsense. Things that I can't change, no matter how much I..."

"Rosalie, I've noticed how unhappy you are. Why don't come with me? I believe in Surrey you'll be happy. Away of all the sorrow that Forkshire brings to you. You can marry me, I mean, I'm not as rich as Mr. King, but I can promise you a comfortable life, and your family will be close."

"Oh Alec! You're the best man I've ever met. But you don't want to marry me, you think I'm a lovely companion, but I know you don't love me."

"But I could."

"No, we have a close friendship; but you don't feel the longing to be close to me, you don't feel that sense of completeness when I'm around, the need to hold me in your arms...

"Rosalie, are you in love?"

"Yes, and you know it isn't Royce who makes my heart beat; but I know it's impossible. You have to promise me something."

"Anything for you"

"We must help my sister, she and Edward are so in love, and I'm worried someone will try to interfere. I want her happiness, even when mine won't be." Alec kissed her cheek, and promised to help her. What else he could do?

Meanwhile, in the middle of the woods, Alice was waiting for Dr. Whitlock. He promised her he will be at the party, but she hadn't heard from him the whole week. Now she was worried. He had to come, it was part of her plan; otherwise her father may not be so lenient in breaking her engagement. She knew how much he despised Jasper.

Then she heard a couple talking. They hid behind a car. Her father's car. She tried to get closer to find out who they were and what they were talking about, but in that moment they decided to leave. All she heard was the man's voice: "After the party, tomorrow. Then no one could stop us."

Finally the party started. Most of the guests have arrived, the drinks were flowing, the music invited to dance...

Mrs. Stanley and her daughter Jessica were late, because Jessica had to change her gown; Mrs. Stanley wanted to show Jessica's better assets and the other dress wouldn't carry out that goal. They were surrounding the Cullen's house to cut the road to the Higginbotham's. Jessica noticed someone in the house moving around in Carlisle's office.

"Look Mother, the Cullen's are also late. Now we don't have to run."

"Jessica we have to make it before they announce Bella, that way they'll announce you too. So run."

Edward was waiting to see Bella. At the moment he was talking to Didyme, who was helping him to avoid Kate. That woman was determined to get Edward's attention, even though he never talked to her. Then he heard the music change, and he saw Bella, walking down the stairs. She looked like an angel, and the world disappeared to him. He heard people talking, someone calling to him, but all he could see was Bella, with her off white dress, showing her beautiful shoulders, her creamy white arms, her gorgeous hair pinned in a soft bundle over her head, how did his mother called it? Chignon, right. With a couple of soft curls falling on the side. Her eyes bright with emotion, searching for him in the crowd... Suddenly he felt someone yanking his arm, he turned around to see Kate trying to get a grip on his arm.

"So Edward, you will seat with me right? I mean, that way we can talk and maybe if they play a different kind of music we could dance..."

"Sorry Kate, I promised Bella to dance with her." What is wrong with this woman? She must have noticed how close we are, she almost made me loss track of where Bella is standing. He left Kate, now blushing in embarrassment. He knew Bella had to dance with her Uncle first, and later she would be his, or that was the plan. Her mother was talking to a very snobbish woman, she was dripping jewelry. That must be the Duchess, he must find Bella before her mother introduced her to that woman's son.

"Looking for someone?" A soft voice asked behind his back.

"Oh my sweet Isabella, I was looking for you, would you dance with me?"

"Sure. Now take me to the other side of the room, my family can be overbearing at this kind of events."

Honorable Michael Newton, son of the Duke of Saint Meyer, was curious about why his mother brought him to this party. She mention something about spreading his wings, and trying to be social, but he didn't see the point. When Mother would find him someone to marry, she will introduce the girl to him; he didn't have to mingle with this people. But wait, who was that girl with the white dress? She was a vision! Maybe now it was time to ask Mrs. Renée to introduce him, but wait, why bother? As soon as she notices him, she will be the one asking for him. He just has to wait, but standing near to where she's dancing with that man, she must see him first.

Michael decided to stand near to the Cullen's who had just arrived. Now Michael's attention was torn. He just saw Tanya Cullen. This woman also looked so beautiful, but the ring in her left hand told him she was taken. Oh well, the brunette then will have her chance.

Aro left the party for a while, after dancing with little Bella, he thought he needed some rest. If Didyme thought that his departure had something to do with the Duchess and her asinine son, well... that's true. Boy, nobility doesn't guarantee nothing these days! Look at him, watching Bella dance. He's appalled because Bella hasn't noticed him.

Jemima Stanley knew how to take advantage of a situation. If the Higginbotham weren't intelligent enough to snatch the Duke's son, well then it was their loss. She was pushing Jessica to him.

"Dear Jessica, if you only stand straight, your bosom may stand more... yes, like that."

Too bad Honorable Michael Newton was admiring another bosom... the one belonging to Tanya Cullen.

Carlisle was tired, his plan to have fun today was going to the drain. Firstly, Alice said she had something to ask him, and he was sure it has to be about Dr. Jasper Whitlock. What Alice didn't know is that Carlisle made a few calls in the morning , making it difficult for dear doctor to be present at this party. Maybe this time he could get rid of him, and this non sense of breaking the engagement will be finished. Except that Emmett McCarthy was the one who backed up from it. Carlisle knew he never liked Alice, and let's face it, it was a blow to any man's ego to see your fiancé frolicking around town with another man. But now, not even the promise of ruin and shame was holding Emmett back. He had to find another way to fix that. Then his earlier talk with Lady Higginbotham. He was so sure if he just talked to her alone, without that old hag, Didyme, she would had acquiesced to his petition of Isabella's hand in marriage. Isabella is young and beautiful enough to be his new wife, he needed another heir. But the old hag said it was immoral and showed lack of manners to speak of such propositions when Carlisle was still married. Like they didn't know about his impending divorce. He was so sure his position and financial security would garner him Bella's hand. Now if only Edward Masen wasn't in the way...

In another part of the ballroom, Edward was in heaven, holding Bella in his arms while both were dancing. He knew he had to let her dance with someone else at some point. It was her party after all. And if staking his claim on her was his intention, he could say it was a mission accomplished. Every man in the room knew by now they were together. Maybe not that stupid little Duke or whatever he was, or Carlisle, but Carlisle must be more worried about his daughter. Alice looked like she was about to scream, Bella told him that Dr. Whitlock was out-of-town and apparently he didn't tell Alice. He turned to look at Bella. How complete he felt while he was holding her in his arms! He was delighted to know that tomorrow they'll talk to her mother about their relationship, and if he knew the gossip in this town, by night everybody will know about their engagement. The only cloud in his perfect future was the possibility that Lady Higginbotham denied them permission to be married, Bella was still a minor.

"Edward, my mother is her way to interrupt us. So what do you say if we dance with other people for about twenty minutes and then we come to dance here again?"

Bella was ready to finish with the obligations that came with the ´party. She knew she had to dance with the pompous Michael Newton, and maybe with Mr. McCarthy to annoy her sister. She knew about Rosalie's feelings toward Emmett, and by the look of him, he returned those feelings. Maybe a few words with him will help. But first, obligation. She promised her mother she shall give Michael an opportunity, the Duchess was desperate to marry him and only they had the qualifications to make a suitable match. Apparently, despite Mrs. Stanley and Mrs. Denali efforts, their families weren't good enough to the Duchess standards.

"Well Bella, it was a pleasure. Let's repeat in fifteen minutes?"

Bella just nodded. Oh sweet Edward! She was so enamored with him. But her mother chose that moment to come with Michael in tow.

"Now Isabella, I think it's time to let Michael dance with you. Maybe he can tell you all about Eton, right Michael?" Renée said while she took Bella's hand and put it in Michael's awaiting one. Michael couldn't understand what had Eton of interest to talk with Bella. She was a woman! Surely, after their wedding, her only interest will be to make him happy. Maybe join a charity or a committee. Oh, and later on the babies. Perhaps she had an interest in his circle of friends, not that he had many of them. His mother was really picky about his acquaintances. she must have known he went to Eton. He was so lost in thought, he didn't notice that all he said to Bella was "Don't worry. After our wedding, my Mother will pick out the correct friends, never mind if they studied in Eton."

Any other man with a bit of sensitivity would have noticed Bella's astounded and later murderous expression. In that precise moment any chance that Michael may had, which he hadn't, died.

Miss Emily and Mrs. Lauren Mallory were seated in a corner, dissecting and analyzing everything that happened at the party. From dresses, all too revealing in their opinion, where will England end; to the outrageous music the band was playing, that nefarious and decadent jazz. Worst, the women were smoking! Such a travesty!

"Look at Miss Kate, pinning for Edward. She's still waiting for him to ask her to dance. It's starting to look pathetic." Miss Emily said, with a fake worried tone.

"So sad. It's obvious he's more interested in Isabella Higginbotham."

"I don't know what to think, it's just like the last party. Poor Kate doesn't stand a chance, maybe if her mother send her to live with her family in Devon she will stand a chance."

"You're so right, she has too much competition here, let's face it, there aren't single men around here." both women nodded while looking at Kate with pity.

"I heard Carmen was at the bank in London."

"Please, do tell."

"Well, my source was waiting for her boyfriend to come for her after work, and she told me Carmen entered the bank and then she left after fifteen minutes crying."

"Hmm, that explain why she's wearing the same dress she wore at Mr. Masen's funeral."

Miss Alice was checking her watch. certain doctor was supposed to come to this party. She made the decision to tell her father, here at the party, that her engagement with Emmett was over; instead she was going to marry Doctor Whitlock. She had a plan to gain his approval. Her father was a man of word, and terribly worried about shame and appearances. If her plan won't work... well then she had plan B. To make matters worst, Edward Masen was pretty much attached to Isabella Higginbotham. She needed him to be with Kate, so Carmen would coöperate with her plan. But Kate was so stupid, just sitting moping in the corner. What man would like to court her ! Now Isabella was dancing with Emmett, they're talking. Probably she's asking him about some ridicule law she read in the newspaper. She had the most weird questions! Now it was the time to act.

"Edward, now that Isabella had finally set you free for a mnute, maybe you could dance with me?"

She said it loud enough to make him impossible to say no without embarrassing her.

"Sure Miss Alice, consider I'm not a good dancer so watch your toes." He said trying to joke.

"Edward you kept my poor friend Kate alone, when are you going to dance with her?"

"Well, Miss Alice, I'm sure she could dance with any of the other gentleman in the room. I think I saw Alec asking her for a dance."

"Pfft, Alec is dancing with everybody, I'm sure his feet will be killing him in the morning . Kate is such a shy girl, you know? The kind of girl you should consider to make a home with."

"Oh Miss Alice, but you see, I was dancing before with the woman I'm considering for that ."

At this particular moment, Tanya came to his rescue from the murderous glare Alice was giving him. Everybody knew about Alice tantrums.

"Excuse me Edward, they're playing a waltz, the only music I know how to dance."

"Tanya, I know you know how to dance."

"Don't you want me to save you?" She said looking at Alice.

"Of course, you're right."

From the corner of the ballroom, Alice noticed Rosalie dancing with Emmett. Normally, it wouldn't have mattered to her, she was ready to back off the engagement; but this time they looked so entranced in each other, certainly he never look at her that way. This was a party after all, everybody was dancing with another. But in this particular moment it made her blood boil. It was too much! First Jasper stood her up, then Edward not liking Kate, her Father ignored her the whole party, just trying to talk to Lady Higginbotham, and the last straw, Rosalie and Emmett together! This was too much.

She ran through the ballroom, pushing aside the dancing couples. When she passed besides Rosalie, she pushed her with force, making Rosalie fall. She continue running, until she reached Carlisle. She started to yell

"Daaaaddyy! Get me out of here. I can't stand these people!"

The room was quiet. The band quit playing. The couples stopped dancing. Everybody was looking at Alice with shame. For Christ sake, she was 24, she must know by now how to behave.

Carlisle had a vein in his forehead. It's pulsing was so notorious, that various of the present people were worried he could have a heart attack.

For a minute, no one knew what to do.

Aro was the first to recover, went to take Alice by the arm, and asked his sister to bring Carlisle to the library. The poor man needed a drink. Then Renée asked the band to play and took Alec to the center of the ballroom and started to dance. Bella and Rosalie followed her example. Soon the party continued as if nothing had happened.


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6**

Charlie Swan was seated in the dinning room at 5:40 in the morning. He was staring into the space because it was too early for the newspaper, so he didn't have anything to read. The reason why he was up so early in the morning, was his gossipy sister Hellen and his promise to comment with her the details of the party.

Charlie was the youngest of the nine Swan children, when at the time of the war, he left to serve in the army. But the war had no mercy with his family and when he came back all he had left was his sister. Hellen, at that time, was already married to vicar Webber, and was making arrangements to move to Forkshire, where vicar Webber was recently assigned. Charlie decided to join them and start looking for a job in the little town. When they moved, the police sergeant offered Charlie the opportunity to become police constable, in hopes for him to take his place in the future. He was proud to see Charlie now, as the inspector of Forkshire.

Charlie heard someone coming down the stairs, and he smiled. He knew Hellen would tell him all the incidents of the party he missed, the same way she would ask about the details of the case that kept him two days out of the county.

Hellen's eyes were shinning with excitement. She had so many things to tell to Charlie, the dresses, who was dancing with whom... wait 'til she tells him about Alice's tantrum! Well, in town they say the quality of the party is measured in the size of Alice's tantrum.

The ringing of the phone kept them from sharing the exciting news.

"Forkshire 536" Charlie answered as he was closer to the phone.

"Good morning Inspector Swan. Here Cora from the station: I'm afraid someone killed Mr. Carlisle Cullen."

"Cora please repeat that again. I'm not sure I heard you correctly."

"Someone killed Mr. Carlisle Cullen, Constable Seth is already there, because it could be a joke, you know? After all the drinks they had at the party, he could be passed out of drunkenness; but Seth says it's correct and that he was stabbed so there's no doubt he's dead."

Charlie sighed. Despite being a chatterbox, Cora was one of the most reliable's employee's at the station, Seth and Jacob however...

"Ok Cora, is Jacob there? I want him to finish to fill the paperwork from yesterday's case. Then I want him with Seth at the Cullen's house."

"Sure Inspector, he's right here with me. I'll tell him to do so."

"Thanks Cora, see you later."

When Charlie hung up, he looked up to Hellen and told her "Could you believe it, someone killed Carlisle Cullen."

Charlie arrived to the Cullen's home, after the milkman and the fishmongers left the house. This means that the whole town will know in a couple of hours.

He was about to knock on the door, when Miss Esme Platt, the housekeeper opened it; she must have waited for him.

"Good morning Inspector. It's in his study, and I locked the door, oh and the french doors from the back. Here, take the keys from the house."

Charlie had never seen Esme so nervous, so shocked.

"Good morning Miss Platt, who found him?"

"That would be me. I always clean his study first thing in the morning, while the maids clean the rest of the house."

"Did you clean this study alone? Did someone else came into the room?"

"Oh no, Mr. Cullen is... was very picky with his study. I was the only one allowed to enter, and only to clean in the morning. I try to do it before he's awake."

"And at what time you went to clean today?"

"It was 5:30. I came to open the curtains that cover the french doors, but they were open."

"Miss Platt, why don't we go to the study, and you show me exactly what you did."

Carlisle Cullen's study was a big room. Big bookshelves covered one of the walls, an ebony desk stood below the paint of a younger Carlisle with his belated wife Cynthia. Now, his body laid between a couple of chairs in front of the desk, and a little coffee table.

He was facing up, his right hand beside him and the left one over his belly.

Charlie continued his interrogatory to Esme: "Did you move him?"

"I took his left hand, I was looking for a pulse, but he was..." Finally, Esme broke down and cried. Too bad that Charlie had a problem showing empathy.

"It's fine Miss Platt." He said, patting her back with the tip of his fingers. "Why don't you go to the kitchen, a cup of tea will work wonders for you."

"Oh, you're right."

"Miss Platt, what about the other people in the house?"

"They're still sleeping, do you want me to wake tem?"

"No Miss Platt, you can go for your tea."

Charlie observed the body again. Carlisle face was relaxed, almost in peace. He couldn't think of a way where someone stabbed the man, by the front, and Cullen not noticing or fighting it.

This won't be an easy case, probably he should call Scotland Yard. Besides, the Cullens are very rich, the reporters will be coming any minute. He felt a headache coming.

"Excuse me, Inspector." The timid voice of Seth, who was everything but timid, made Charlie look up.

"Mr. Aro Volturi is here. He says he wants to talk to you."

"Let him in. And call Dr. Whitlock, we need him here."

"I called, he's supposed to be back by now. His housekeeper said he will come as soon as he gets the message."

Charlie sighed. Dr. Whitlock's absence had driven Forkshire crazy. Hellen's theory was that he received an inheritance and that was the reason Miss Alice was so adamant to be with him. Anyway, he really needed a doctor. This corpse was getting colder and it will become more difficult to determine the time of death.

"Thanks Seth, make Mr. Aro come here."

Aro came into the study with the care and security given by years and years of practice. He considered Charlie a time he visited his girls, he took time to go fishing with Charlie, he liked the quiet demeanor of the inspector. When he heard a maid telling Didyme about the murder, he thought he could lend a hand to a friend.

"Hello Charlie, do you mind a little company and maybe a bit of help?"

"Of course, what do you think of our body?"

"Hmm, he's too relaxed. If someone tried to attack me, I would defend myself, but he didn't raise a hand. He didn't tried to get out the blade either."

Charlie nodded. There's got to be more than a simple stabbing.

"Look, this bottle is empty, but I don't see any cup or glasses." He said while pointing to the empty absinthe bottle standing lonely on the table.

"Miss Platt will tell us if she took them."

"And the ashtray is full, but the room doesn't smell."

"She said she had to close the french doors, they had to open all night long."

"Now let's take a look to this blade." Charlie used his handkerchief to remove it from Carlisle's body.

"It's a letter opener, very sharp." He took it with care to not erase the fingerprints it may have. Jacob is going to have a field day with this. Since that criminal forensics class he took last month at Scotland Yard, he was begging him to take the fingerprints of everyone at the station just for 'practice'.

Aro kneeled to give the blade a closer look. "It's engraved, it says... Tanya Cullen."

"Maybe it's time to wake up the rest of the house."

They closed the door of the study and climbed the stairs, looking for Esme. Charlie called Seth, asking him to wake everybody and to bring them, one by one, to the room besides the study for interrogation.

Then, he and Aro walk through a hallway, to the room they knew belonged to Tanya Cullen. Better to start with her.

The door was open, the room empty. The bed was made. Mrs. Cullen didn't sleep here last night.

Aro noticed a roll-top desk in the corner. He opened it. At the center, he had a base with blotting paper, and an inkwell. To the right, an engraved pen also property of Tanya Cullen. This is where the letter opener came from.

They left the room, and closed the door with one of the keys Esme gave Charlie.

Esme was waiting for them in the room.

"Miss Platt, where's Mrs. Cullen?"

"She's sleeping, but probably waking up by now, your constable knocked on all the doors calling for everyone."

"Don't lie to us, she wasn't in her bedroom."

"She's in mine. Mrs. Cullen suffers from time to time of migraine. When she starts with the headache, she stays in my bedroom sedated. I take care of her, I studied to be a nurse for a while, so I can handle her."

"And her bedroom remains open?"

"Oh no, I close it. Always. I'm sure I closed it last night."

"Miss Platt, why don't you tell us what happened last night."

"I was at the Higginbotham's since early in the morning. I offered to help to organize the kitchen and waiting staff; we lend them our maids and the butler to work with theirs, like twelve people in total. So you could imagine how chaotic was their kitchen. Then, Lady Higginbotham asked me to join the party, she was very grateful for my help."

"How nice of my niece, and I remember seeing you dancing with Alec."

"Mr. Alec danced with all the women. He's a very charming man."

Charlie felt they diverted from the interrogation course. "When did you leave?"

"Well, after Miss Alice... outburst, Mrs. Cullen felt a migraine coming, and with Mr. Cullen being assisted by you," she pointed to Aro " we took Miss Alice home. Here we left her in her bedroom with a glass of hot milk."

"Did she fall asleep?"

"Oh no, we left her alone, she need time to...unwind."

Aro immediately got the idea, Alice can become pretty hysterical.

"Then I gave Mrs. Cullen a cachet to help her sleep; and then I prepared Mr. Cullen study for him." She was twitching her fingers. "See, every time Miss Alice has one of these outbursts, it really affects Mr. Cullen. So I prepare the study with his favorite beverage a bottle of absinthe and a glass in the coffee table; then I leave a glass of water and another cachet for him. They're innocuous and help both of them to get a good rest."

"Now that you mention glasses, we didn't find any. Did you take them from the study?"

"Oh no, I left two glasses in there last night, but I didn't touch anything from that room."

Charlie and Aro shared a meaningful look, when a woman's wail sounded in the hall.

"She did it! I knew it!"

When they ran to see what was happening, they saw Didyme and Edward holding a very shaken Tanya, and Seth with Jacob trying to calm Alice.

"You couldn't wait to get rid of him, you filthy whore!" Alice yelled.

Didyme left Tanya's side, and slapped Alice. It must have been a very rough one, because she left a mark.

Then everybody was quiet.

Didyme looked around and said. "What? That's what we all wanted to do."


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7**

After Didyme's slap, Alice stood taken aback. Nobody had done something so rude t her, ever. Somehow she regain her wits and asked Didyme why? while massaging her cheek.

"You were quite hysterical, my dear. now you must be quiet and relaxed, you suffered a blow with your father's death. Let me take you to the kitchen , a cup of tea will help you."

Didyme took her arm to lead her out of the room, when the front door opened and Dr. Jasper Whitlock finally appeared.

"Good morning Inspector Swan. Where's the body?"

Everybody was looking at him, noticing the dark circles under his eyes and the way his shoulders shrunk. Except Alice, she looked at him with renewed hope.

"Jasper, I'm so glad you're back!"

And she ran t him, with her arms open, ready to embrace him. Only that he didn't want to be embraced.

"Good morning Miss Cullen. If you excuse me, I've been told there was an emergency and I'm required to check the body of a dead man."

"Over here Dr. Whitlock; perhaps you have to give Miss Alice a sedative first. She was quite shocked with the news." Aro intervened, anticipating Alice's reaction to Jasper's cold greeting.

"Sure." He took a bottle from his bag, and asked for a glass of water. Edward ran to get it, because he didn't knew what to do to avoid th tense situation. He gave the glass to Jasper who put a few drops in it and gave it to Alice.

"I suggest you lay and rest for a while." Then he looked to Charlie . "Now, if you show me where's the body."

Charlie took him to the study, while the rest of the presents stood quietly.

Aro asked Didyme "What are yu doing here? I thought you were helping Renee?"

"Pshh! You know her. I was trying to show the cook how to clean that big pan they use for eggs, but Renee said I was distracting her."

Aro knew about Renee's temper under pressure, but he also knew Didyme can became quite annoying when bored. After this little exchange, and because Alice retired to her bedroom, everybody relaxed.

Aro asked Seth and Jacob to look for fingerprints on the french doors from the outside, and to check for any suspicious footprints in the back. Edward coughed and said

"Mr. Volturi, I don't think those footprints will be helpful."

"Why not?" Jacob asked, with an exasperated tone.

"Well, there's a shortcut to reach the Higginbotham's principal entrance that goes through this yard, and it passes exactly in front of the study. Lot's of yesterday's guests walked through it. And if you remember there's a bench just besides the french doors, some people seated for a while, like Miss Emily and Mrs. Mallory. When I came back, "he made a pause "they were seated chatting."

"So are you saying that at least the guest that left last night may had passed over this road?" Seth asked, while making calculations in his head. Half the town was there last night!

"The only guest that stayed the night were the Duchess and her son."

Seth almost fainted.

"Let's not hasten our conclusions. Go and look for fingerprints, the people may had passed but they had no reason to open those doors."

Jacob nodded eagerly. Finally a chance to prove his abilities. He respected Charlie Swan, but he was a man without ambition. This time Mr. Volturi was here, and they had a real investigative case! Not that nonsense about petty local drunken fights or expired licenses. He brought his bag with his loved equipment to analyze fingerprints. He was ready to take this opportunity and shine with glory.

Aro took Tanya's arm delicately and led her to the room which he would use to conduct interrogations.

"Come Mrs. Cullen. I think it will be better to start with you, while Dr. Whitlock is busy with your husband."

Charlie was already in the room. Tanya seated in a plush armchair and refused a cigarette from Aro.

"Mrs. Cullen, can you tell us what happened last night?"

Her explanation matched Esme's. Aro took this time to really see her. She was a very beautiful woman in her thirties, despite her eyes which seemed so tired. And she didn't cry, not a single tear. He didn't know how to take it, as a sign of her strength or a sign of...

"Mrs. Cullen how do you feel? Your husband was murdered last night."

She sighed. "And you think I'm a heartless cold woman. Well, I'll save you time and be brutally honest. I feel sorry for him, bu I'm not shocked or surprised."

"What do you mean?"

"inspector Swan, my husband was a despicable man. He had a lot of enemies." Then she looked at Aro. "Our marriage was over for so long, I've asked him for the divorce, but he refused to give it to me."

"Do you see how this make you look?"

"Probably like your principal suspect, and I know Alice's comments add to your suspicions. Let me explain you something, he was a monster to all of us; no one in this house was happy, not even him. I asked for years to divorce him, and he finally agreed. His lawyer, Mr. McCarthy told me so. I suppose he found someone else, otherwise he wouldn't have let me go."

"You suppose?"

"We were very distant and avoided each other."

"Why did you sleep in Miss Platt's bedroom? You have a very beautiful one, where Miss Platt would have been more comfortable."

"Did yu see my bedroom? It has a communicating door to Carlisle's room."

Aro and Charlie were confused. It was very common to have that door, they were married for Christ sake!

"Let me rephrase it. Carlisle wasn't welcome to my room. Lest when he was mad after one of Alice's tantrums. His temper got worst. And even if I closed the door, he could open it with his key. So if I wanted to avoid him, I spent the night with Esme"

Both men still were confused, she was the housekeeper!

"With time, Esme, Miss Platt and I became close friends. It's good to have someone to talk and who won't judge you."

"So did you invent your migraine to stay with Miss Platt?"

"Oh no! I really had migraine. The only reason I assisted to the party was my friendship with Lady Higginbotham. The migraine worsened with Alice's scene. I took a cachet and fell asleep, only to wake up to your constable knocking to my door."

Charlie was quiet for a second, well her story seemed plausible.

"And before going to the party?"

"I was in my room getting ready, sewing a flower that fell from my dress. I tried to be quick, because Carlisle wanted to arrive early, he mention he waned t talk with someone, but didn't say whom. Then we waited for Alice, but she was taking too long so we left without her."

"You can't stand your husband but you left together?"

"Only for appearances."

"Well Mrs. Cullen that's all for now. Do you know the terms of your husband will?"

"No, not really. I suppose he left us everything to me and Alice, but you can ask Mr. McCarthy."

"Thanks Mrs. Cullen." And she left.

Charlie asked Aro "Why didn't you ask her about the letter opener?"

"I want to keep it secret for a while. I'm more interested in why nobody asked the way Carlisle died. She never asked if he was shot, stabbed or poisoned. I'm not sure we were the firsts in his study."


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter 8**

While Aro and Charlie were interrogating Tanya, Didyme did the same with Edward.  
"Did you talk to Renee?"  
"I tried. She asked me to come to your house today to have tea with all of you."  
"My niece is so stubborn, I'm sure she tried to give that feeble-minded Michael Newton another chance."  
"Bella is worst, at least she knows her mother rather well. She told me to wait for today because her mother would try again to shove him into her face. Then I saw Carlisle... he's a more clever rival than that pitiful boy."  
"Don't worry. Renee strongly despises him. She's a good friend of Tanya, so she rejected him yesterday."  
"Really? I don't understand why Carlisle tried. I made my intentions clear since the first day I met Bella, and I know she returns my feelings."  
"Yes, but he was excessively vain. He never considered you a potential rival. He was so sure his financial status and place in the community would give him the upper hand. What are you going to do now?"  
"My intention to marry her haven't changed." Edward blushed. "But... our plans changed a bit yesterday... well, now they've changed more. I need to talk to Bella and..."  
"You shouldn't have mentioned that Emily and Lauren saw you coming to the house."  
"Why not? I'm sure by now, they had told the whole town."  
"What if they saw you leaving the house again?"  
"But I left through the other side of the ..." Edward stopped, he knew he had been caught.  
"Edward, I know you didn't spend the night here or at my house. Neither Bella nor Rosalie. They weren't at home when I left. So tell me what were all of you doing?"  
He decided to trust Didyme, he was sure they'll need help and she'll be a wonderful ally. " I'll tell you all, but we have to call Emmett McCarthy immediately. He was a big part of it after night all."

Jacob was dusting the handles of the french doors, he was truly concentrated. Seth, however, was distracted with the third maid, Kim.  
"I'm sure you know this is a very important investigation. We were commissioned to guard this spot by the very same Mr. Volturi, a retired commissioner of Scotland Yard." Seth said, standing straighter.  
Kim put her little hand in Seth's forearm and said "Then I must tell you what I saw. It could be terribly important."  
"Maybe."  
"My life could be in danger."  
Jacob, despite being concentrated in the fingerprints issue was attent to their flirting, he snorted very loudly. Right! Like she wasn't in the servants wing of the house last night. He thought.  
Seth looked at Jacob with anger. That Jacob was so full of himself! He decided that talking with this nice miss could give him better clues, in fact, he shall talk to all the maids and the cook to get the truth about last night. So he took Kim's arm softly, and went to the other side of the terrace.  
"What a delicate flower like you could had seen last night?"  
"There was a woman in Mr. Masen's room, and it wasn't Miss Bella." Kim said lowering her voice. She didn't want that rude constable to hear.  
"But I heard Mr. Masen is courting her! What a two-timing..."  
"There's more. Mr. Masen didn't spend the night here, we saw him leaving."  
"Are you sure? Who was this woman?"  
"We're sure he left, he made a lot of noise while walking down the stairs, they creak. Then we though it was weird he was leaving, so we went to take a peek into his room. When we reached upstairs, we saw a woman coming into his room, but it was too dark to see her clearly, she was wearing a dark robe."  
Jacob only heard the part of a woman in Mr. Masen's room. What a pig! Miss Bella was the most beautiful woman he had ever seen, she was an angel. And to think this bloody colonial is cheating on her! Now he had to find a way to let her know. His first suspect to the infamous murdering of Carlisle Cullen was also Edward Masen. All the men who went to Africa returned with violent tendencies. He had to prove he was guilty to free Miss Bella from the evil clutches of that ruffian.

After Aro and Charlie left Mrs. Cullen go, they went with Dr. Whitlock.  
"I have to take this body to the morgue. The cause of death is unclear."  
"What do you mean with 'unclear'? The guy was stabbed!" Charlie pointed to the letter opener which was secure in a big jar.  
"Look at his shirt. He was stabbed seven times, but the shirt only had one blood stain!" He put the shirt aside.  
"This one." Jasper pointed to a tiny mark on Carlisle's abdomen "this didn't bleed. And this one" he pointed to the chest, "in other circumstances must had bled him dry, instead there's only a few drops of blood. The man was dead when he was stabbed, probably his heart stopped."  
"So that's why he didn't fight back."  
"Exactly. My guess is that he died seven hours ago, one hour more, one less."  
"It's ten a.m. so it happened between two and four in the morning."

While Charlie was busy with his men setting the removal of Carlisle's body to the morgue, including taking the bottle and the letter opener to a lab for further investigation; Aro went to the hall, where he heard voices.  
"It was an excellent idea, but who would have thought Carlisle was going to die."  
Aro stopped. That was Edward's voice, and what he said was a bit incriminatory.  
"You're right. Now we have to keep it secret, I don't want to deal with certain people reactions."  
That was Didyme. Aro just took a peek in the room, to see who were the people talking. It was Didyme, Edward and Emmett McCarthy.  
Jacob came to interrupt him when he was about to ask them what they were talking about.  
"Sir, I have the same fingerprints in the door handles the and the letter opener. When we get to the station I'd like to check the ones in the bottle; but I think we found our killer. Now we just have to find whose fingerprints match. Let me start with Mr. Masen."  
"Before we start, Jacob, I'd like to have a few words with them; but I think it's a great idea. Why don't you go and take Miss Platt and Mrs. Cullen fingerprints first? After all, it was Mrs. Cullen letter opener."  
"But sir, I just heard that Mr. Masen had... had some mysterious activities last night."  
"That's why I'd like to talk with them first. I promise to let you question him later. By the way, let Seth know that he has to close that study and go to the station, we have to make a reunion and talk about all our findings."  
Jacob left more at ease, because Mr. Volturi was including him in the discussion of the case. Aro entered the room and silenced Didyme.  
"I heard all of you talking. What happened last night that you want to keep secret?"

Seth was talking now to the cook. Apparently all of them went to the party to help Lady Higginbotham. They all came back together at midnight. Kim and Demetri, the driver, were in charge of closing all the windows before closing the house. It's a task Esme delegated on them, to make sure all the service was at home at night. They were the ones that noticed Mr. Masen leaving and the woman lurking in the house. Demetri pointed that the woman was hiding from Mr. Masen, she came into his room without his knowledge. That was very important. Mrs. Clap, the cook, claimed to see a blond woman leaving the house very early in the morning, and she thought it was Kim, but the girl was sleeping. Seth was sure this would be a very important clue.  
He heard Jacob calling to him, so he thanked Mrs. Clap and went to meet his annoying partner.  
"Mr. Volturi asked for you to close the study, it was very irresponsible to left it alone."  
"I closed it, I have the key here." And he showed him a very shiny key.  
"Now, come with me,we have to take their fingerprints and get to the station. I just hope Mr. Volturi won't be so hard on you for spend the morning chatting with the help."  
Jacob was walking ahead of Seth, so he didn't have the chance to notice Seth mocking him. But Mrs. Clap did, and laughed. She was glad to talk to the nice constable, and to encourage the rest of the girls to better talk to him. He really listen without judging.

"I can't believe it was so easy." Rosalie said while taking off her hat. This morning resulted so advantageous. She was seated with Bella in the train back to Forkshire. Early in the morning they went to visit Mr. Royce King, to let him know that their engagement was broken. Rosalie was nervous because she had heard of his temper. Who would have thought Royce was too friendly with his secretary first thing in the morning? This gave her the perfect excuse to break the engagement, and have the upper hand by convincing him that she would keep the secret, if he didn't complain with her mother and demand whatever dowry he gave to her.  
"Rose, I never saw one of those in real life, only in sculptures and paintings." Bella was still blushing, she saw Royce... thingy! She always thought the first one she would see in real life would be her husband's.  
"I was more occupied watching his face, his eyes almost jumped out of their sockets!" Rosalie laughed. "What do you think mom will say? Do you think it's better if we go to her after I have Emmett's ring in my finger?"  
"Well sometimes asking for forgiveness is easier than asking permission."


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter 9**

Sunday morning service was Helen's favorite. It was the most crowded. She took a peek at the church... it was full! Nothing like a crime to gather all of Forkshire inhabitants to praise the lord. To be honest, she knew most of the people were here to stay after the service and have a chat and observe the others.

Until now, she only had heard comments about how Edward Masen was clearly courting Isabella Higginbotham. They sat together at the front next to the platform where Rosalie was playing the organ for the service. Right on the opposite side, a couple of rows behind, Carmen Denali and her daughter Kate were casting glares to the happy couple. Rumour was that, despite having many suitors begging for Isabella's hand, she chose Mr. Masen. She rejected the son of a Duke! Little could do Kate Denali to break them apart.

Mr. McCarthy arrived two minutes before the service began. He chose to seat next to Edward Masen, it seems that within the past week both men developed a friendship.

One minute before the service started, the recently widowed Tanya Cullen came walking all dressed in black; Esme Platt and Lady Higginbotham were scorting her. The whole church began to whisper. From what the milkman said to Helen, the police found a dagger in Carlisle's body. The dagger belonged to Tanya. Half the town believed she killed her husband to be free and get his money. They all knew Tanya had a lover, but nobody knew whom the lucky guy was.

When the three women seated, close to the front, people moved away from them. Lady Higginbotham just straightened her back and held Tanya's hand.

Finally, when her husband was about to begin with the service, Alice Cullen made her grande entrance. She came crying, a rugged handkerchief dabbing her nose. She walked slowly, letting the crowd watch her mourning. She sat with the Denali.

Helen's husband, Robert, cleared his throat and began with the service.

They sang 'Turn your eyes upon Jesus'. Not the hymn she would had chosen, but who knows what Robert was thinking.

"Brothers and sisters, I'd like to start with a prayer for our brother Carlisle Cullen, who had part to be with our Lord yesterday. Pater noster qui est in caelis...

Hellen noticed that between all the people standing, Edward Masen was holding Isabella Higginbotham's hand. Then she looked to the group of castaways, the three women were smiling to them, so it seems Edward won the approval of Lady Renee.

Alice started to cry again, but this time she only gained the sympathy of the Denali. Hellen knew she had to show compassion for that girl, she just had lost her father; but for the love of God, Hellen believed that girl did it!

The lovely Rosalie was playing really well. Hellen was wondering what those Higginbotham girls were doing in London yesterday. Claire, Mrs. Mallory's maid, said she saw them coming back from the train station, smiling and dancing. She must find out what trouble they caused in the city. As the wife of the spiritual advisor of Forkshire, it was her duty! Well, at least that was what she told Charlie yesterday night when he came back from his reunion at the police station with Aro and the constables, Forkshire glorious police force of four people.

He didn't tel her what they found, only that Dr. Whitlock asked for more time to find the real cause of death. So the stabbing was in doubt? she asked but he didn't answer; he also asked her help to question one little maid, who apparently was so young she didn't fell for Seth's charms. For Charlie's dull tone of voice, she came to the conclusion that he believed Tanya Cullen was guilty. He told her how questioning Alice was a torture because she burst in hysteric cries; and Mr. Edward was pretty concise, but he was sure he was hiding something.

Hellen gave another look at the congregation. Her husband was talking about regrets, and by the look of some of them, this town was full of sinners.

Well, she hoped some of them would come to talk to her. Robert was intimidating.

She noticed at the back, close to the door, Dr. Jasper Whitlock was standing; his visits to the church were scarce. Maybe he came to support Alice now that she was alone. Then, she turned to watch Alice's reaction. She was quiet until she saw him, then she started to sob again, but it seems that Jasper for once, was immune to her cries. She needed to find to...ahem, to advice Alice, this community had her support after all. Hellen thought she could get close to Alice and offer her husband's solace. Then she had to pester Charlie to find out what was Jasper's issue. She was sure Charlie knew it. If only he didn't feel the pressure of working with Mr. Aro, he would have shared with her all the details of the investigation. Sometimes her advice on the town gossip were what brought the solution to Charlie's cases.

The service was finishing, and she was so lost in her thoughts that her daughter Angela had to elbow her to bring her back to the present. Both discretely ran to the door to say goodbye to the parishioners and take care of the ones who wanted to talk to Robert.

Finally, people were leaving the church... to congregate in the atrium and talk.

Mrs. Stanley and her daughter were the first ones to reach her to talk.

"Helen, I know we have to show compassion to everyone, but how did you let this... Jezebel come to the service?"

For a second Hellen didn't know of whom she was talking about, 'til she remembered this is Jemima Stanley, she's always envious of the beautiful people.

"Come on Jemima, God open this doors to everyone, who am I to judge?"

"But you and, ahem, your brother, I'm sure you know she had something to do with poor Carlile's demise."

"Oh Jemima! I'm sure you know he's forbidden to talk about an open investigation, he can't share anything with me." Helen gave her most innocent smile. From the corner of her eye, she noticed Jasper walking decisively to her husband. Alice tried to get in the way twice, but Jasper avoided her.

"Oh Hellen, but I'm sure you can tell me your opinion."

Hellen answered distractedly "I don't have an opinion. I'm letting them do their work."

She thought of ways to get rid of Jemima. Jasper was too close to Robert, if he got to him first, Robert would never tell her what they talked about.

"Jemima, I'm sure Jessica will be getting news of the Honorable Michael Newton, after all they spent the party side by side, right?"

Ha! Jemima said goodbye and hauled her daughter away. Everybody saw how she threw Jessica to the Duke's son, and how he ignored her. But it was too late. Jasper was talking with her husband.

xx

Edward took Bella for a walk after the service, he promised her a surprise.

"Are we close? We've walked for ages!" She said, tilting her head to the side to cover her face from the sun.

"How impatient you are!" He smiled. "See those trees besides the road? It's behind them."

"Then, I challenge you to see who gets there first." and she ran.

Edward thought how graceful she looked while running with that dress, then he noticed she was almost at the end, so he ran to reach her.

Bella stopped right at the trees, she could see an enormous house. Masen Manor.

"Oh!"

Edward took her hand and led her to the house.

"This is my home." He opened the door.

The house was still furnished, but you could see no one lived here.

"Edward, its beautiful, why didn't you come back here?"

"When my father became sick, he couldn't stand to live in the house. He was at the hospital when he asked Carlisle to fire all the service and sell the furniture. He thought I would never come back."

He remembered with sadness, why he delayed his departure from Rhodesia for a week. He wanted so much to show his father how wealthy he became on his own. If only he would had sailed when the news of his father health reached him... they could have spent together his last days.

"Carlisle complied?"

"No, he paid them as if it were vacations. Carlisle knew I would come back and stay here someday. We're still paying them."

"Oh Edward! Don't be so sad! The house is so beautiful."

"He kept it the same way it was when my mother lived."

Bella held his hand in support.

"Is it too difficult to stay here?"

"No. I had so many good memories from here."

"Would you like to change something?"

"Oh no, and... there's a reason why I brought you here."

Bella smiled, she liked where this conversation was going.

"You know I have the most serious intentions, I want you to marry me."

"Is this a proposal?" Bella smiled again, noticing how Mr. Seriousness was squirming under her gaze.

"Not yet. I want to gain your family approval first. I'm afraid I'm not quite there."

"Aunt Didyme and Rosalie like you, a lot. My mother recently had a change of heart." Bella had a grin in her face while she remembered how, before leaving. the Duchess offered her apologies for her son 'shenanigans'. Later Renee told her how she caught Michael by surprise in Bella's room, traipsing her wardrobe. He said he did it to 'see if his mother would approve her clothe choices'. Under Renee scrutiny, he dropped a few samples he took of Bella's lingerie. Renee admitted Edward was the best choice.

"But your uncle... he detests me. I'm sure he thinks I had something to do with Carlisle's demise."

He recalled yesterday interrogation. Didyme stayed with him, she advised him to tell Aro all their plans, he would find out anyway.

So he told them how he came back for money, less than a minute, for the girl to buy first class tickets to London. One constable, Jacob maybe?, took his hand to get his fingerprints. With each word about how they spent the night outside planning, the constable put so much pressure on his finger that the prints were blurred.

Aro asked him one more time if he was sure no one was in his room when he left, and if he really was in the house for a minute. He was looking so intensely to his eyes... like he doubted his answer.

"Bell, hmm, well, I'm going to propose with your family's blessing; and the best way to make it is to find out who killed Carlisle."

This conversation went too far from the topic. Bella looked at Edward, worrying for his sanity. Didn't he know her uncle was one of the best inspectors Scotland Yard ever had? She was absolutely sure her uncle would solve the case.

"Please, don't look at me that way. I was talking with your aunt, we noticed how the police, including your uncle, left unnoticed a couple of details from the house. We tried to tell them, but they ignored us. Your aunt got really angry. So we... sort of.. decide to work together to solve it."

Bella's doe eyes were open bigger, her brows almost left her face.

"Are you sure Edward? They're professionals."

"Your aunt thought it would be a good idea if we recruited the help of the expert in everything concerning Forkshire."

"Who this expert may be?"

"Mrs. Hellen Webber, the vicar's wife."

Bella stood quiet, digesting her aunt's plan. Well, it really changed the topic.

"Was this the surprise?"

Edward paled. "Oh no! I... I ruined it. I'm telling you this plan, because I don't want you to doubt me. I want my intentions clear."

Bella nodded. "Right, continue."

I don't want us to waste time, so I'd like you to take a look around. This will be our house, and I want you to like it. I want you to choose which furniture stays and which goes. I want you to feel like the mistress of the house."

xx

Meanwhile at the church atrium, Aro and Charlie were talking to Emmett. He promised them to talk about Carlisle's finances.

"We are looking for Mrs. Cullen accounts too. It's a big coincidence her husband dies just before he divorces her."

"But Mrs. Cullen is a very rich woman."

Both looked at Emmett like he was missing the obvious.

"No, you misunderstood. Mrs. Cullen has a vast fortune, Carlisle just managed it. She was young when they married, so her father asked Carlisle to take care of the money; in case of divorce, she gets her money back."

Charlie was bemused, his principal suspect and the cause of murder were going to the drain.


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter 10**

Charlie was sipping a cup of tea with Esme Platt. She said she wanted to ask him a couple of things, and he took the chance to bring Helen to question the little maid, Bree. He was s ure the girl saw something, but she didn't want to talk. First, he had to talk to Esme.

"Well Miss Platt, the tea was exquisite; why don't you tell me what you really like to know?"

"Inspector Swan, I'm in a difficult position. See, every summer Mr. Cullen gave me the chance to bring my niece Jane here, to spend summer vacations with me. She's an orphan, and I'm all the family she has left. But now... Mrs. Cullen told me to not worry, she will welcome Jane like every year."

"So you have permission, I don't see..."

"For now, we still consider her the owner of the house. Miss Alice has made it clear that she want me to go."

"Oh!"

"Yes, it's terribly uncomfortable. Honestly, I can't wait for the reading of the will. It'll give me a sense of certainty. Well, my doubt is if you, as the police force, have any inconvenient with my niece's visit? She's twelve, just a kid. She won't cause any trouble. She's a bit restless, but without malice."

"Miss Platt, I don't see anything wrong with the girl visiting, as long as she stays away from the study. It's closed, but I know how creative kids could be."

xx

At the back of the house, Helen was talking to Bree.

"Come on, I won't tell Miss Platt."

"But she could fire me, then my mother will kill me!" The poor girl looked like a scared rabbit.

"No, I promise to be discreet. We only want to know what did you see. Only my brother and I will know."

"Do you swear it? I don't want to go to the police station, it's embarrassing enough as it is."

"I swear it. We don't want to cause you troubles."

Bree somehow was convinced, because she talked.

"The day of the party."

"Aha"

"I came back early, because the can of coffee we were using was finished and the cook asked me to bring her a new one."

Helen didn't understand what the little maid was saying.

"She asked for it in the morning, after the breakfast, and I forgot. Then we were at the party and Mrs. Jones, their cook, was bragging that someone brought them coffee from Marraquesh. Then I remembered the can and I came back early to retrieve a new can from the den and to get it in the kitchen, before the next day breakfast."

Now Helen was beginning to understand.

"The door of the den was closed, from the inside."

"You don't have the habit of closing it, right?"

"No. Mr. Cullen liked to keep his cigars in the den, on the last shelve, so it was always open."

"Did you get back later to get the can?"

Bree became nervous again.

"Hmm, well, you see, I was sure I would fall asleep if I got to my bed. So I hid behind the counter in the hallway and waited."

"And?"

"A woman came out, she ran to Miss Alice's room."

"Did you follow her?"

"Oh no, I ran for the can of coffee and left. Miss Platt could have seen me out of bed and she would tell my mother."

Helen didn't know if praise Bree or slap her, for her lack of curiosity.

"Did you see her face?"

"Oh no, it was too dark. All I know it wasn't Miss Alice because she's too short."

"How did you know it was woman? It was too dark"

"She wasn't wearing pants."

"How did you know she went to Alice's room?"

"The noise of the door closing, from there you can recognize which door is closing."

Helen dismissed the girl. It wasn't her fault not finding who was this woman. Helen smiled thinking about the way she determined it wasn't a man. And who would have thought Carlisle was going to be murdered?

xx

Later in the afternoon, Helen was taking the tea with Didyme.

"So your brother still thinks Mrs. Cullen is guilty?"

"Oh no, now he's dying to talk to this mystery woman."

"Mine thinks Edward had something to do with it. He's so stubborn. Even when Bella and Rosalie had pointed to him that it's impossible for Edward to be guilty. He'd asked one of his contacts in Rhodesia to check Edward's antecedents."

"Like a wife or a family?"

"Yes, he doesn't want Bella to marry him until the case is solved, and Edward proves his innocence."

Helen shook her head. Men!

"Are they sure it was someone from the house?"

"Aro thinks they're the only ones with a motive."

"Oh, then he didn't knew Carlisle! The man had many enemies. Emmett could probably tell them. Resentful employees, past business partners... The man wasn't a saint."

"He knows. When he was in Scotland Yard, he investigate him. Apparently he had some shady business with not so honorable men. But he never found anything to prosecute Carlisle. He was very clever."

Both women look to each other, they knew what kind of man Carlisle was.

"What did your niece said when Aro asked her to wait?"

"She had that smile, like she wanted to say 'as if you could stop me', but we convinced her to ignore him; which was very difficult that girl is too stubborn for her own good."

"And what about your other niece and Emmett?"

"He asked to talk to Aro after the reading of the will. I think he's tired of dealing with Carlisle's business. There's another one with a motive to get rid of him. I don't know how Carlisle convinced him to had any kind of relationship with Alice."

"I know! We always wonder what Carlisle knew to have Emmett doing whatever he asked."

"Who do you think this mysterious woman was?"

"I don't know, but I don't think it's a foreigner. Someone in town would have seen her and then told me."

"Yes, I think is someone of our own circle, otherwise she would have been noticed rounding the house."

xx

In another side of town, Edward was accompanying his friend Emmett to the reading of Carlisle's will. Emmett was anxious not only because of the people involved, but because he wanted to leave an excellent impression in Aro Volturi, so he will approve him to court Rosalie.

The people in the room were edgy, and it looked like bands were chosen. Alice was surrounded by Kate and Carmen; Renee was supporting Tanya, and Esme was running around the house getting the tea ready. Edward was seated besides Emmett. All of them were waiting for Aro and Charlie to come, they considered it important to the investigation.

Meanwhile both men were walking fast to the Cullen's home. They had a very productive day. Jasper finally told them that Carlisle died from an overdose of Veronal. He analyzed the box with the cachet which Esme provided, they were innocuous. The bottle of absynthe had traces of veronal, but not in the proportion Carlisle ingested, and they supposed he drank something else. Now more than ever they needed to find the glasses. The fingerprints in the french doors handles and the bottle were from Carlisle, so that was a dead-end. The letter opener didn't have any fingerprints. Then, if you added the mystery woman who was in the house the night of the crime... This case was getting more complicated each day.

When they got into the house, Aro greeted everybody with a nod.

Emmett cleared his throat to get everyone's attention.

"Let's begin. I'll try to jump the technical aspects of the document, and if you have any doubt, please wait 'til I finish and we will read it together." Everybody nodded in approval.

"I Carlisle Thomas Cullen, being of sound mind, bequeath all my assets in the next terms: To my cook from many years Adelaide Johnson I left one hundred pounds..."

Edward observed the room. Alice yawned because it wasn't of her interest, while her friends were serious and quiet. Tanya and Renee were smiling, they were happy to see Carlisle remembered the service. Esme was busy, picking the cups and cleaning the table. He had to admit Carlisle was very organized, he detailed everyone in the service, even Demetri, the driver. Edward always thought Carlisle didn't like Demetri, but there he was in the will.

Emmet made a pause and looked to Tanya.

"The rest of my assets, except Cullen Manor, are to be divided between my wife Tanya Alexandra Cullen, my daughter Mary Alice Cullen, and my friend for so many years Esme Platt. The house belongs to Esme and her niece Jane Prudence Platt."

The room was so quiet you could hear a pin drop.

Alice asked Emmett "Could you please repeat the last part, I think I didn't hear it well."

"Of course, the rest of the assets are to be divided between Tanya Cullen, Mary Alice Cullen, and Esme Platt. The house belongs to Esme and her niece Jane Prudence Platt."

Edward left his post beside Emmett and ran to catch Esme, because she fainted.


	11. Chapter 11

**Chapter 11**

When Edward caught Esme, Renee and Tanya immediately guide him to her room to settle Esme in her bed. Alice stood quiet for a while, the idea of her uncertain future rendered her mute. Emmett took the chance to talk to Aro. They went to the hallway outside Carlisle's study, Edward went back with them. He promised Emmett to be there to support him.

"Mr. Volturi, I asked you the chance to talk about your niece, Rosalie." Aro's blank face turned to look at Emmett, so he continued. "As you know, we both were engaged in previously arranged relationships. We discussed it, and we found that our feelings were bigger than the compromise behind those relationships. We both broke the engagements, and now I'd like to ask your permission to court Rosalie in hopes to be worthy of her hand."

Aro stood quiet for a minute. Emmett threw Edward a panicked look, he thought Aro was going to reject him.

Finally Aro asked "What did Carlisle had over you to get you engaged to Alice?"

This wasn't the question Emmett was waiting.

"Well, hmm, it's a question difficult to answer. Would you be satisfied if I swear to you that it had nothing to do with something I did?"

"No. I want an honest answer. I'm asking you, not as the retired Scotland Yard officer, I'm asking you as Rosalie's uncle and paternal figure."

Emmett sighed. "When I was away studying to become a lawyer, my mother became pregnant. The doctors told her it was very risky, because she was too old to be a mother again. They got her in bed rest the whole pregnancy, but it went wrong. The baby was stillborn. My mother didn't know how to cope with the baby's death, she begin to carry a doll and called it 'her baby'. She became aggressive toward the people who tried to take away the doll. My father had her committed." Emmett was looking to the ground. "Mr. Cullen made it clear that people wouldn't be requiring the services of a lawyer like me, the son of a demented woman."

What he said shocked us into silence. So that was the reason he never talked about his family!

Aro stared to both, and said "First we have to prove you're innocent, then you'll have my permission to marry the girls." Then he left.

Edward tried to talk with Emmett about being the executor of the inheritance, but Alice came barreling to the hallway.

"Emmett, I think that given the circumstances, I can't let you break our engagement."

Emmett was about to burst laughing when Carmen came out to the hallway. "Of course he won't, Alice. It would be preposterous to even think about it after the tragedy of losing your father, and now you don't have a place to live."

Edward wanted to say something, but he wasn't used to this underhanded comments. Luckily, Renee come to the rescue.

"Nonsense. Esme will be delighted to let Alice stay for as long as she needs it." She gave Carmen a glare. "Though about the engagement, dear Alice, you were absolutely delighted to be single again. I'm sure you hadn't told Dr. Whitlock the good news. I'm sure he will have something to say about it, right?"

For a second Alice was ready to protest, but then she said "Do you really think so?"

Edward was nauseated with Alice selfishness, he hoped Jasper had recovered his common sense and he left this awful woman alone.

He asked Renee "Do you have a minute?" and he didn't wait for her answer, he took her arm and led her outside of the house.

"I can't stand those vile women!"

Renee grinned. "So did Aro gave you his permission?"

"No, he said we have to prove our innocence."

"Don't worry, he already likes you. Otherwise he would had said no. I'm hoping for a winter wedding."

xxx

Edward was happy to be at the train station, far away from the tension in the house. He finally got back his things from Rhodesia. He watched how the station employees got down the crates, when he felt someone looking at him. Alec was walking with a little girl by his side. This must be Jane. She looked younger than twelve, long braided blond hair, blues eyes full of curiosity.

"Hey Masen! what are you doing here? Are you ready to leave Forkshire and run back to Africa?" He said smiling.

"Oh no. As a matter of fact, I'm waiting for the rest of my things to be discharged." All of them turned to the last wagon where two employees were piling the crates.

The little girl asked "Do you come from Africa?"

"Yes, from Rhodesia."

"Do you have a lion's skin in one of those crates?"

Edward chuckled. "No, why is it that everybody wants a lion's skin."

"Well, they're the most difficult to get. They're very dangerous." she said like it was the most obvious thing in the world.

"Yeah? I found more terrifying being chased by a wild rhino."

"Did you see a rhino?"

Oh my! This girl is very confident. Alec chose that moment to introduce them.

"Miss Jane, this is Mr. Edward Masen. I'm glad you're meeting him now, because he's living in your house for a while."

She gave Edward an inquisitive glance. "Not in my room, right? I have a secret hide away there."

"Miss Jane, what could you hide in your room?"

"Cookies. Aunt Esme is very strict, she doesn't let me eat them until the tea is ready. But now there was a murder in the house. I'm going to search for clues, and hide them to give them to the police. Maybe they'll let me keep something... like a button from the dead's shirt. Imagine that!"

Both men looked at each other. this girl was vivacious. Esme will have her hands full with Jane.

Alec and Jane said goodbye to Edward. They were ready to get Jane with her aunt.

Alec went to London to gather the information Aro asked to his contacts. Edward Masen's past was squeaky clean. The guy wasn't a monk while in Africa, but he didn't let any relationship lost in there. Carlisle Cullen however... was a sneaky rat. There were a couple of times when he dodged jail by a hair. The people who may have something against him, were in jail or dead. Nobody in London will miss him, and apparently, nobody wanted him dead either. The killer was in Forkshire, no doubt.

He sighed. Aro sent him a telegraph, asking him to pick up Jane. He didn't want Esme to leave town. She was now the principal suspect. Alec thought it was unfair, Esme was a nice woman. She had worked her whole life to support her family. Maybe Carlisle did one good thing in his life, to help her, and it turned out to be the opposite.

Jane was too quiet, looking through the window of the car. This was getting boring.

"Are you helping the police with the investigation?"

"Well, I think so. My boss is Mr. Aro Volturi."

"But you aren't in the police?"

"No, I'm not."

"It's fine, I like you. The police is always the last one to know."

"To know what?"

"Who's the criminal. In the novels I read, the detective helps the police, then he gets the culprit. I was reading one where they killed a woman in a church. Why a church? There's always someone inside, and there's always an echo. I find it impossible."

"Jane, does your aunt knows you read crime novels?"

"No, but she didn't ask. I hide them in my secret place."

Alec was thinking that maybe she wasn't the only one knowing about this secret place, and they had to find some glasses...

"Jane, would you show me your secret hiding place?"

"Sure, but you have to promise to not tell aunt Esme; or she will confiscate my cookies."

"You have my word." After all, Esme could be scarier than the police.


	12. Chapter 12

**Chapter 12**

It was on of the few sunny days the summer brought to Forkshire. Renee was walking with her daughters, going over all the stores at the principal street. They were looking for a gift for little Jane. Renee was adamant that the girl would love a doll.

"But Mom, she's twelve, not five." Bella smiled softly to her mother.

"Shut up! You still have 'Nessie' sitting on your bed." Bella blushed recalling her favorite doll.

Rosalie pointed to the window in the store in front of them. "Candies. No matter how old she is, she would never say no to a chocolate."

Smiling, the three women got into the store.

Aro was walking on the other side of the street. He tried to reach them before they entered to the store, but despite all his effort he was late. Now, he shall wait for them, here. At everybody's view. He wasn't wrong, Carmen was trying to reach him, again. This was the third time.

"Mr. Volturi, I'd like to have a word with you."

He sighed resigned.

"Of course Mrs. Denali, what can I do to help you?"

She looked around, happy to found him alone.

"I... I want to talk to you about that night."

She now had all of Aro's attention.

"Well, I..."

In that precise moment Renee and the girls were coming out of the store.

"Uncle Aro!"

Carmen glared at them. "Well, perhaps I can come later to the station. It just that I'd like to talk to you alone. I wouldn't like this murder case to be tainted, because some of the people involved were from the family of the police force." She turned her glare to Bella and left.

"What's wrong with her?"

"I don't know. It's the third time she tried to talk with me, but always there's someone who interrupt us. I know she won't come to the station."

"Do you think she knows something important?"

"Who knows?"

Aro walked the way back to their home, lost in his thoughts. After the reading of the will, he had a sort of reunion with Charlie and the constables. The Commissioner was pressuring Charlie for an arrest, and the papers were mentioned their lack of results. So he sat with th guys to talk about a plan.

"We need to work with order, we're making a mess of this investigation. We're only going where the last clue got us."

Jacob puffed his chest, he was so sure Edward Masen was the culprit. "I told you, we have to arrest Masen, we know he didn't spend the night of the crime in his room, like he told us in the first place."

Seth shut him up. "But he has an alibi! Wether you like it or not. We need to find the mystery woman."

Charlie nodded. "You're right. And we need to find her before the papers find out about her."

Then they began to argue again. Aro yelled. "Stop!"

The others turned to look at him.

"This is exactly what I'm talking about. We only have a bunch of clues. I'm sure some of them aren't even related to the crime. First, we have to think, which are the people in town who had th possibility to be in Carlisle's study that night."

Seth immediately recited, "Lots of partygoers came back to their homes through the shortcut in front of the study."

"But we know Carlisle himself opened the door."

"So which ones could really had been in his study? To whom he opened the door?"

Seth was about to recite again, when Aro stopped him. "Our culprit has to be in the two list we're going to do. One with the people who could had been in the study. The people Carlisle would have invited inside."

The others nodded.

"The second list, is about people who had a motive to kill him. We know how an awful person he was, so this list must be big."

They left the reunion with the assignment to draw these lists.

Now Aro was dreading to come home by himself, because in his desperation, he asked Didyme for help, which she answered with a 'Prepared to be schooled.' comment.

xxx

Didyme was glad they finally got back. She had a smile of superiority while she was saying goodbye to the girls. They were going to spend the afternoon with Esme and her niece.

"Come Aro, sit here." She pointed to his favorite sofa. "I want you to act like the last time. Pretend to be sleeping. Let me handle th questions."

"Who's coming?"

"Helen, of course, she's my partner in this investigation. Emily Young and Lauren Mallory. We'll be playing bridge."

Aro couldn't understand what they could get, he questioned those women before and he got nothing except 'We didn't see a thing.' But he did as she asked.

xx

"Didyme, you can't deny it anymore. The whole town knows Emmett is courting Rosalie." Lauren beamed to the news.

Didyme threw he card and said "Well, not officially yet. Until the case is closed and Carlisle is buried and resting in peace."

Emily clucked. ""You're right. There's nothing wrong with waiting a week or two to make it official. How did Alice take it?"

Helen smiled. It was her turn and she had the perfect card. "You know Alice, she tried to make a scene, but Renee put her in her place. Well, Didyme told me."

"A scene? But she was prancing around town with Dr. Whitlock!"

"Was. Had you notice how he voids her now?"

The four women nodded.

"Claire, my maid, said that Alice spent one day standing in front of his house; waiting for him to open the door for her."

"No! And what happened when he opened the door for his patients?"

"He ignored her. She was crying on the street."

"So unladylike. A dame knows how to act in public. She should have left and cry in her room, alone."

"Dear, Alice was never known for acting like a lady."

"So true. But still, Dr. Whitlock's attitude is too strange. I've seen him going daily to the church." Emily said pointing to Helen.

"I know! But Robert won't tell me anything. I told him we all think he acts like he was guilty of something." The women nodded, Aro just paid more attention. "But he said that the problem that ails Dr. Whitlock isn't related to the crime, and to leave it alone."

Aro was tempted to laugh t the image of four old ladies pouting like little girls. Didyme was the first to recover.

"Well, he was out-of-town that night." She turned to Lauren. "But you two were sitting right in front of the scene of the crime."

"Yes, but we didn't see anyone coming into the study"

Emily nodded. "Believe me, we were seated there for a long time. Diego, the butcher's younger son, climbed the tree outside the study and was throwing confetti to the people passing by. We made them pass below Diego." Both women smiled.

"i think we were there seated for more than an hour. We left when Jamie, the butcher, was coming. We walked with him and his wife to give Diego time to get into his house before them."

Helen chuckled. "You are as naughty as him. And he's nine!"

"Please! What could a piece of paper could do? You should had seen Jemima, she was so mad! But Jessica loved the joke."

"So you didn't see anyone in the study?" Didyme asked, winking to Aro.

"We didn't see Carlisle opening the door to anyone." Lauren said "We heard him inside."

Emily put her hand on Lauren's cards. "But you forget about Carmen! When we arrived to the bench, Carlisle was scorting Carmen out of the study. They had serious faces, but not angry. He went back to his study alone."

"Did you hear voices later?"

"Yes, Carlisle was yelling at someone. We noticed a shadow through the window. It was tall, surely a man."

"But he left, and Carlisle kept screaming. Then we heard more yelling at Alice's room, you know it's upstairs. Carlisle threw something to the wall, we heard it crash. Then we saw his shadow pacing in the room."

"Not much later we left."

They were quiet, playing for a while.

"Do you think that if we had stayed, the killer wouldn't had attacked Carlisle?"

"Oh no! I'm not sure if the killer came from outside the house."

The four women nodded and continued playing, while discussing the latest gossip. The affair of the carpenter's wife with the milkman.

xxx

Edward was walking fast to through the woods. He had to get home before Emmett or he would spoil the surprise he prepared for Jane. He was aware that someone was following him, but he wasn't sure if it was Emmett or that constable who hated him and fancied Bella.

"Edward, wait!"

It was a woman voice! She came running, holding her hat with one hand. When she stopped, he found it was Kate.

"Hi, what can I for you?" He wanted so bad to let her standing and run to the house, but manners dictated he had to listen to her.

"It's really what I can DO for YOU." She smiled coyly. Now Edward was confused, what did she want now?

"I saw you the night of the crime, or more precisely, I didn't see you. I know you weren't in your room like you told the police."

"So?"

"I want to make a deal with you. I can offer you an alibi for that night, if you marry me."


	13. Chapter 13

Emmett was trying to be stealth, trying was the key word. He wasn't as stealth as he thought.

"Edward, wait!"

Damn! Someone else was following him. He ran to hide behind a tree, this way he could heard who was calling Edward. The sound of steps behind him made him turn. Constable Black was about to throw their cover away. He touched Black's shoulder. "Shh"

Kate reached to Edward. He was so hard to find alone. It took her a couple of days to put on march her plan.

"Hi, what can I for you?"

"It's really what I can DO for YOU." 'If only he knew.' She thought.

"I saw you the night of the crime, or more precisely, I didn't see you. I know you weren't in your room like you told the police."

"So?"

"I want to make a deal with you. I can offer you an alibi for that night, if you marry me."

He was quiet for a minute. Kate was so sure she finally got him... when he started to laugh. Now it was Kate's turn to be confused.

"I'm serious Edward. I won't stand and see you marry that poor rat of Isabella, when you could have someone like me. Finally I had the leverage to make you see."

Edward guffawed.

"Kate, you're right." She smiled. She felt victory in her hands. "I didn't spend the night in my room. Why don't we go to the police station."

Kate was so happy, she had him! "To give them my alibi?"

Edward led her by the arm. "Oh no. The police knows exactly what I was doing that night. We're going to tell them you were the mysterious woman in the house that night."

"Oh no, wait! wait!"

Emmett couldn't hold his laugh, and went with Edward and Kate.

"Masen, what are you doing?"

"Taking Miss Denali to the police station."

Kate made one last desperate attempt to escape.

"Mr. McCarthy, I'm so glad you're here. Mr. Masen was trying to take advantage of me!"

Emmett looked at Kate, that was a terrible lie to say about anyone. In that moment, constable Black decided to join. He was ashamed of witnessing how low Kate was falling.

"Miss Denali, we heard the whole conversation."

Kate looked to the ground, she got caught.

"Come, Mr. Masen was right. We were looking for you."

xxx

Bella decided to leave the women in the room, she was so bored... No wonder why Jane left long time ago. They were discussing with Rose the plans for her wedding. Tanya offered to go to Paris for her 'trousseau', Esme helped with the design of the dress... Bella just offered to be there for her sister. All of them were so sure the police would find the killer soon, Bella wasn't.

She walk to the garden outside, and found a big tree giving a wonderful shadow. She sat down and opened her book 'A study in scarlet'. She loved Sherlock Holmes and hoped to forget about life and problems in Forkshire for a while. She heard a snicker from the tree, looked up and found Jane.

"Hi! So this is where you were hiding?"

Jane nodded.

"Let me come up with you then."

It wasn't an easy feature. At school, she had no problem climbing in to trees, with her sturdy shoes and the resistant fabric from her uniform. Her soft dress and heeled shoes didn't helped her.

"Ugh!" And with a last jump she was there.

"Come, we can sit together in this branch." Jane called her.

"Now, tell me, what are you doing here?"

"I'm bored Bella. The kids around here are too young, and the girls... well, you're the only girl."

"I know, it happened to me the last summer. Tomorrow I'll take you to the lake with my camera. We can take pictures."

"You have a camera?"

"Shhh! Don't tell anyone. Edward gave me his. He said it was collecting dust in his house."

"But he's living at my house."

"Oh no, he has the most beautiful house, a couple of miles from here.

Jane suddenly blushed. "I heard he's your boyfriend."

Bella smiled. "Yes, that he is."

"Hey Bella, I saw a bag hanging from the roof of the gable window, do you what is it?"

"A bag?"

"Yes, look." Jane pointed to the gable on the left of the house, below the attic. Someone must had thrown it from there.

"Jane, we have to tell to the police."

"Awww"

"Hey, you can tell all the girls back in school that you helped the police to find a clue."

"But what if it only had old rags of a dead critter?"

"We have to find out first."

xxx

Forkshire's police quarters were quiet. Charlie was seated in his office, working on his lists of suspects. Seth was on the field, attending the report of two missed chickens. Charlie chuckled remembering how he sent Seth with the furious farmer Jenks, who had a daughter that fancied Seth a lot.

He heard a scuffle and the wail of a woman.

"What's happening here?"

He saw Jacob pushing Kate into the office. She was crying and screaming.

"You pigs! Have no decency! My mother will write to our representative!"

They passed the front desk. Emmett and Edward were following. Charlie looked to the door, Kate's screams attracted a lot of people.

"Miss Denali tried to extort Mr. Masen." Jacob said, but with his eyes he was making signs to Charlie. Now, because Jacob wasn't very discreet and Charlie wasn't in the mood, he said: "I only want here the people related to this complain." The majority of the crowd walked outside, except a few who considered themselves as pillars of the community. Charlie was truly exasperated.

"Jemima, do you have something to do with this complain?"

"Given the nature of the screams, I consider it wise to stay. She's the only woman in a room full of men."

Charlie looked dumbfounded. "What?"

"She said someone tried to abuse her."

"Is that true Miss Denali?"

Kate looked like a scared rabbit and said in a meek voice. "No."

Jacob smiled. "I think Mrs. Stanley didn't hear you."

Kate glared to him. "No one tried to abuse me... in that sense."

Jemima pouted. Her only excuse to stay in the room just vanished,so she walked out the door...and turned around to stay hidden by the wall.

"Well Black, tell me what happened."

Jacob told him everything he heard.

"Thank you Edward, you were so clever to find out she was the mystery woman."

"How could she know I wasn't in my room then?"

"Well, Miss Denali, I want to know what you were doing that night."

Kate was wringing her hands. "I was with Alice."

"Alice never mentioned you."

"It was supposed to be our secret."

"How come?"

"Every time we had a problem or we got upset, we spent the night in her room. I... I stole cigars from the pantry." Charlie nodded, he recalling Bree saw her coming out from there. "And Alice brought the liquor."

"What kind of liquor?" Maybe Alice took something meant to Carlisle.

"She always brought brandy, but that night she brought vodka."

"Did she told you why?"

"Her stepmother took some bottles to the party."

"Well, you had the cigars, then what happened?"

"I climbed the stairs. W-we had a plan."

"What was this plan?"

"I had to drink to get courage."

Kate didn't notice how interested her audience was.

"Why?"

"I... I t-tried other times, but I couldn't."

Kate was shaking her head, as if the plan was something so horrible. Everybody in the room, and the few who remained listening outside, were absolutely quiet. Could she be the one who...?

"What did you try Miss Denali?"

"It's so terrible, and so embarrassing." She turned to Charlie. "I don't want my mother to know, she would be so ashamed."

Charlie made a non committing noise. If Kate really did it, there's no way he could keep it from Carmen.

"Alice told me to wait 'til everybody was sleeping."

"Miss Alice knew about your plan?"

"yes, she helped with the details."

Everybody was shocked. Alice was an awful woman, but to do something so callous to her own father.

"Alice said to wait, then I went to his room, but he wasn't there!"

"Yes, he was in his study."

Kate turned to Charlie, doubt written in her face.

"No, he was out of the house."

Now Charlie was confused.

"No, he was in his study, we have witnesses who heard him."

"No, he was out, probably with that woman!"

"Of whom are you talking about?"

"Edward, of course. I knew if we woke up together in bed, he would be forced to marry me."

In their stupor, nobody noticed the two petite girls coming inside. Bella gave three steps and slapped Kate.

"You wrench! I hope you end alone!"

Edward held Bella, and asked Kate "Why?"

"I was so angry at the party. You were ignoring me and dancing with her. It wasn't fair! It was her first party and she got the man of my dreams!"

Edward didn't know what to say.

"Kate, I think I'd always been truthful to you. I don't want you in that way. And if we're honest, I just came back. I don't understand!"

"Of course you don't understand! The first time you came, my mother flaunted me, the same way Jemima pushes Jessica."

A faint 'Hey!' was coming from the outside.

"Mom said your parents agreed. But then your mother got sick, and you left. A year later Garrett came, but Mom offered money to him to leave; and he accepted it! So when you came back, still single, I knew I had my chance."

"Kate, my parents never agreed to any kind of relationship."

Emmett cleared his throat. "As a matter of fact Kate, Carlisle talked to your mother. When Dr. Whitlock came to town looking for a house, Carlisle noticed how Alice fancied him. He thought it was a good time to give Alice a vacation, a cruise to the greek islands. He offered to your mother to pay for your expenses so you could go with Alice, but your mother said no. She was worried for the fame of the cruises, and that you would meet a man and marry him letting her alone. I think is your mother the person you shall talk."

"Speaking of her, Jacob, go and get her to come to pick up her daughter, if Mr. Masen doesn't have any complain?"

"Get her free, I think she knows I won't get near her in the future."

Two hours later...

"Sir, we can't find Mrs. Carmen!"


	14. Chapter 14

Hi! This is a short one, between visits at my house and few problems with my other story I didn't have the time to write more. The next chapter will be bigger.

* * *

It was getting dark, and still there was no clue of the whereabouts of Carmen. The police, with the help of a team of volunteers and a few residents, were combing the town looking for her. They checked the train station in case she tried to take a train, but no one had seen her in there.

Meanwhile vicary Webber and Dr. Whitlock were with Bella and Jane, getting down the bag the girls was on the tree, giving directions to Jasper, vicary Webber was holding the ladder for him.

"To the left, a bit more... there, it's just right up. Yes!"

Jasper came down, carefully placing the bag on the grass. He proceeded to dust his clothes when he noticed the anxious looks Bella and Jane were giving him. Robert Webber smiled.

"I think we all want to know what's inside the bag."

The girls nodded. Jasper took the bag and untangled the knot. Inside were the missing glasses.

xxx

The search for Carmen was supposed to resume at eight, but a peasant came running to the station at seven-thirty. He found a bulge drifting in the lake. Seth dived in, and with a few struggles, he brought the bulge to the shore. It was carmen.

Aro was pacing in the minuscule office at the station. He was so mad at himself. That woman looked out for him many times. Of course she would be the one with information, she was too nosy. And he made a rookie mistake, he didn't listen to the person looking out for him. No matter how annoying they are.

The door opened. This time Jasper came quickly with the results.

"I can only give you an estimate of the time of death, she was in the cold water the whole night! My guess is this happened after noon, and before ten at night."

Aro exhaled. Again almost everybody could had done it.

"She drowned. Someone hit her in the head and held her head underwater. She shows faint signs of struggle. My theory is that they hit her in the head, making her fall. She has her knees scrapped. Then they pushed her head underwater."

"So this is the job of a man."

Jasper hesitated.

"carmen was a very weak woman, I gave her a tonic. So I think a healthy woman could had forced her."

Aro nodded. This was getting worst. No way to discard a suspect.

Jasper took his hat. "Well, if you don't need me anymore, I have to go for the results of the analysis of the glasses."

Aro waved his farewell.

Jasper left the office with a big weight on his shoulders. He couldn't stop thinking that somehow his dishonest and immoral behavior brought this tragedy to town. He felt that everyone around him was dying. He was so glad to had found vicary only man he could trust. He was helping him to deal with his guilt complex. Who would had thought that a doctor, a man of science, ended relying in his faith to deal with his troubles?

Jasper noticed Alice coming his way.

He couldn't believe how he fell for her act of a lonely sweet girl, with a tyrant father and immoral step-mother. If only he knew of what she was capable... Yes, he felt bad for the way she lost her father, but he won't bebefriending her anymore. Thank God they stopped before anything more happened. Just some kisses. She was free to marry the man of her choice. Just not him.

"Jasper wait! Stop avoiding me!"

"Good morning Alice. As you can see, I'm busy. I have a train to catch."

"Why are you doing this?"

Jasper stopped and turned to her. How can she say that like nothing happened? His eyes were full of hatred toward her.

"We have nothing to talk about Miss Cullen." He spat. "Now if you excuse me, I have a train to catch."

Alice watched him leave. All her life, she acted aware of the things she was doing. The spiteful things she did just because she could, the very few good things she had done. She knew what she was doing. But this was the first time in her life that she really didn't know what she did wrong.


	15. Chapter 15

Four men seated in the first class wagon on their way to London, were looking at each other. All of them thought that the three-hour ride would give them the time to think. Each one had personal issues he wanted to attend.

Jasper was glad he made it clear to Alice that he wasn't going to talk to her ever. This little travel to London to get the results of the analysis on the glasses was the perfect excuse to begin his new plan. Vicar Webber suggested to have a new beginning in a new town, so Jasper was taking the chance to visit one of his mentors, Marcus Protheroe, and consult him about where to set up his new practice. But to his partners, he was only going for the glasses.

Alec was sad to part. He knew was going to happen, the police will be going to take Esme Platt for a thorough questioning, perhaps arrest her. He battled his boss on this decision, but Aro had very good arguments. Esme had the opportunity to kill Carlisle that night; and today the milkman told them he saw Esme near the lake by noon. Not to mention she was the principal benefit of Carlisle's will. Motive, opportunities. Of course she said she was just giving a stroll and claimed to know nothing about his will, but nobody believed her.

Mrs. Didyme and Mrs. Helen thought the same as Alec. They were very fond of Esme, so they decided to investigate more on their own. He hoped they would find something to save Esme.

He was going to London to settle some issues from Aro's state. At least that's what he said to the others. In reality he was also going to visit Saint Andrews Asylum. He knew Mrs. McCarthy was an intern there and he had some questions about her illness to discuss with her psychiatrist.

Emmett and Edward had to untangle the mess Carlisle left. There were certain business partners that needed to go, because their way of work was bordering illegal.

Emmett was also going to have an interview with Mr. Royce King. Apparently word of their almost engagement came to Royce, who wanted revenge in the only way he could get, ruining Emmett's business reputation with awful gossip. Edward was the only one aware of Emmett's plan, and he was eager to help. Firstly, because he was becoming an excellent friend, and they'll become family with their future marriages. Secondly, because he was itching to get in a good old fashion fight. And lastly, and very important, because it was giving him the chance to leave the house for a couple of days. After Carmen's demise, Esme being so thoughtful invited Kate to stay with them. Kate was eager to come so Edward decided a few days in the city were so needed. He thought he was a free man when constable Black finally relented and wasn't following him around all day. He was very nosy. Black caught him kissing Bella! Of course, it wasn't anything immoral, but certainly diminished the chance to kiss Bella in public again.

Now he was wondering who was Black's new suspect. It wasn't any of them, because the police didn't follow them to the train.

All were quiet thinking about their troubles and plans, but Emmett was incapable to handle the silence anymore. "I want to buy a bicycle to Jane Platt, the poor girl doesn't know what to do in town."

Alec smiled, everybody seemed to like Jane. "She became Isabella's shadow after finding the bag with the glasses."

"Sure. Bella and Rose wanted to take her to the lake to take pictures , and they're going to teach her how to play tennis." Edward's face always got brighter when he talked about Bella.

"She's a very kind girl. She found a wounded dog, and asked me to cure him. She helped to bandage his leg."

The talk about Jane broke the ice, and now the four men were talking about Carmen's murder.

"It's too sad, but I'm not going to miss her. That woman was delusional, and she made her daughter worst."

"Really?" Jasper was cut off from all the town's gossip.

"So delusional that Edward had to leave the house jumping through a window." Emmett was too happy to share.

Alec laughed "No way! Too scared to face her Masen?"

Edward shivered. "Even after Bella slapped her, she was running to my room! Of course I had to leave immediately, and the first floor window was the only option."

"She's capable of throwing herself after you."

Jasper was confused. "What happened to make Bella slap her?"

Emmett was too eager to tell him.

xxx

Meanwhile Esme was laying some rules to her guest.

"Kate you have to accept he doesn't want you. Where's your pride?"

Kate started to sob when she noticed Edward left the room through the window.

"I thought he would change his mind now that I'm all alone."

"You're not alone. And marriage isn't something you want to force on somebody. Imagine for a second that he marries you, how do you picture your life in five years?"

"He would be supporting me. He can have Isabella on the side."

"Do you really wish that? You know you won't have him either."

Kate cries went louder. "I know! But that's all I was taught. To get a husband, no matter how."

"And that made so much good to your mother. Do you know what really happened to your father?"

Kate nodded. "He left. To live with another woman, he had another family."

"That's right, your mother got to him the same way you were planning to get to Edward. Kate, you deserve to be happy. I want you to take your time, stay here. But please, start to plan what to do with your life. Edward is taken, and there's nothing you could do to change it. When your mother's things get settled you could travel. Get to know new places." Esme had a wistful look in her eyes.

"But you didn't travel."

"I didn't have the chance, I had to work. But now... just think about it. And please, don't plan your life around Alice's. I don't think she knows what to do, and she would drag you to whatever nonsense she will do that surely will end up badly."

Later, at night, Esme and Kate were the only ones at the table for dinner.

"Where is Jane?" Kate was trying to make small talk. She spent the afternoon thinking on what Esme said. Perhaps a little cruise to the Greek islands...

"She's with Lady Higginbotham. She and her girls were kind enough to take her to the next county's fair. They'll probably be back tomorrow morning."

"And Mrs. Cullen?"

"Call her Tanya. Honestly, I don't know where she may be, but she's too independent. If she comes back later, she goes to the kitchen and heat food for herself. So it's just us."

In that moment someone rang the bell of the door.

"Well, maybe we will have another guest."

Esme went to open the door. It was Aro and Charlie.

"Good evening Miss Platt. Would you be so kind to accompany us to the station? We have some questions that require your answer."


End file.
